Breast Cancer: Fewer false diagnoses with the 3D mammography
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:35A study of nearly half a million women showed that 3D mammography is able to detect more breast cancers at an early stage and offers a more reliable diagnosis.
Mammography is currently an indispensable tool in the detection of breast cancer, the most common cancer in women. To improve early detection, a team of researchers conducted the largest study to date on the effectiveness of mammography. They examined the analysis of more than 454,000 women in various American hospitals. They notably compared traditional radiography (2D) and the association thereof with the tomosynthesis which provides a 3-dimensional mammography. This medical imaging technique has been approved by the U.S. health authorities in 2011 and has been increasingly used since. For patients almost nothing changes, you just stay in position for a few seconds. For radiologists, by cons, the picture is much more clear and precise. Tomosynthesis allows for 1mm cuts which are then stacked to reconstruct the breast. Specialists can better see sometimes hidden or blurred areas.
Better screening
First results of the study: the 3D mammography can detect 29% of breast cancers, including some at very early stages. It makes a huge difference when you know that a cancer is caught early, since the the chances of remission improve. This method also helps to better identify the stage of development of the disease and invasive tumors (41%).
Less doubt, less stress
The researchers also found that screening in 3D was more reliable. The number of false positives and false negatives is down with this method and necessary double-check examinations have decreased by 15% compared to the traditional detection method. The number of biopsies required is also less. And when a biopsy is required, it leads more frequently to the detection of a cancer. Scientists emphasize the importance of these results given the suffering, anxiety and cost which may result from misdiagnosis and any further unnecessary investigations.
Source: Breast Cancer Screening Using Thomosyntehsis in Combination with Digital Mammography, JAMA, June 25 2014.
Maureen DIAMENT
