3D Mammography

You know why having regular mammograms matters. When breast cancer is caught before it spreads, the five-year breast cancer survival rate is 99 percent or greater (Source: American Cancer Society). Van Wert Health invests in the latest advanced imaging technology, including 3D mammograms, so we can detect breast tumors at the earliest possible stage.

• Greater Accuracy, Resulting in Fewer False Alarms and Unnecessary Callbacks

• Better Clarity. With a 20% Increase in Detector Sensitivity, Breast Cancer is Easier to See, Even in Dense Breast Tissue

• An Optimal Dose of X-Ray to get the Clearest Image Based on Your Unique Breast Tissue

• A More Patient-Friendly, Comfortable Experience

3D mammography, also referred to as Tomosynthesis, is a new type of digital x-ray mammogram which creates 2D and 3D-like pictures of the breasts. This tool improves the ability of mammography to detect early breast cancers, and decreases the number of women “called back” for additional tests for findings that are not cancers.

During a “3D” exam, an X-ray arm sweeps in a slight arc over your breast, taking multiple low dose x-ray images. Then, a computer produces synthetic 2D and “3D” images of your breast tissue. The images include thin one millimeter slices, enabling the radiologist to scroll through images of the entire breast like flipping through pages of a book, and providing more detail than previously possible.

The “3D” images reduce the overlap of breast tissue, and make it possible for a radiologist to better see through your breast tissue on the mammogram.

A 3D mammogram can help your physician obtain the images he or she needs to make a more confident diagnosis and determine the next steps in your care.

It is especially helpful for women who have more dense breast tissue, as it helps clinicians see behind normal breast tissue where abnormalities could hide and between overlapping breast tissues.