Breast cancer is something which is affecting women a lot these days. If we go by the statistics, then in US, one in every five women is developing breast cancer. This disease starts developing at the age of 50 years and above so diagnostic mammography is needed at primary stages. However, breast cancer shows high cure rates and overall survival rates if detected early. Therefore, several countries are detecting new methods to cure this problem and help everyone. They are conducting mammography-screening programs, in addition to other means such as breast self-examination and clinical examinations, to help women in fighting this problem. Mammography is one of the diagnostic imaging techniques, that uses small doses of radiation, which are delivered to the breast to generate breast tissues, that could point out if there is cancer or not. Mammography has been the main technique used in breast cancer screening programs where women, in most of the programs; undergo one mammography scan each two years for women aged 50 to 75 years. Regardless all these, diagnostic mammography has one drawback, and that is, that is has a range of false positive and false negative results. People are trying to discover other measures too to determine another medical imaging technique to carry on with the breast cancer screening programs. For instance, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one of the suggested techniques to substitute mammography. Breast MRI provides better-detailed images that can aid doctors in detecting cancer in their patients. Breast MRI has overcome a major problem that causes the false positive and negative results in mammography. Breast MRI can easily differentiate between a normal healthy but dense breast tissue and cancerous tissues. Yet, there are several obstacles that hinder the use of breast MRI; the main issue is that MRI cost is much higher than diagnostic mammography. Also, MRI is not to be used on patients using pacemakers as the magnetic force generated during the procedure can interact with the pacemaker resulting in serious problem. Perhaps with the continuous studies, researchers would be able to provide communities with a new and better way to fight this killer disease. About The Author Lee Bond shares his views about brain tumor diagnosis. He is a renowned radiology expert who has over 10 years of experience in the field, and another 10 as a regular surgeon.For more information, please visit diagnostic mammography.
Related Articles -
Diagnostic mammography, brain tumor diagnosis,
|