Cancer is the out of control growth of abnormal cells. We know it can start anywhere in the body, but when it starts in breast tissue, the earlier we find it the better the results.
Annual mammograms for women age 40 and older continue to be the gold standard of care, and there are many women who have learned they have a cancerous growth after a mammogram even when they were not experiencing symptoms of disease.
Traditional mammograms involve an x-ray of breast tissue, and that is aided now by computer aided detection that can point out areas of concern that might be missed by human error. Digital mammography allows for even better images for review, but the best and clearest images come from 3D mammograms.
3D mammography takes multiple digital images from different angles and essentially creates image-layers of the tissue. The layers can be viewed individually or combined to create a 3D image that research has shown can find up to 35% more cancer in patients.
That means life-saving treatments can start earlier and work better.