"There is going to be a shakeup in breast imaging, and the reason you have 5 to 6 modalities to choose from is that no one has any real, conclusive data that any one is a better screening tool than the others," says Dr. Bruce Schroeder, Director of Breast Imaging at Eastern Radiologists, Inc. "No one really knows which one is best or whether you need more than one."
Digital vs. analog - the cost/benefit debate continues
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For women who are 40 or older, a mammogram is recommended at least once a year - but for most women, it's not necessarily that important whether it is an analog or digital image.
Until eight years ago, all mammograms were done with film. Then in 2000, GE pioneered digital mammography with the introduction of the first full field digital mammography unit, and the digital industry has exploded. Manufacturers such as Hologic and Siemens joined GE in creating a strong marketplace for digital mammo.
"Almost the entire industry has gone digital because it offers a lot of efficiency," says Pat Hall, Director Product Communication and Professional Relations for Hologic, a leading OEM of digital mammography equipment. "What makes digital better is that you can see things much more clearly and more quickly. It also significantly reduces the recall rate in mammography. That's a major advantage. Anytime a woman doesn't have to go through the anxiety of thinking something is wrong, that's a major advancement."
GE Senographe Essential digital
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As with film mammography, optimal positioning and compression are critical in identifying a suspicious lesion. Unlike an analog image, with digital mammograms the technologist is looking at the image within seconds. "They can see if the
woman moved during imaging, or if the breast tissue was properly positioned, or whether they got the entire breast or not - with film it takes a few minutes," Hall says. "It's a much faster process, so there are patient advantages, doctor advantage, and workflow advantages. You don't have chemicals, you don't have film, and you don't have film storage to worry about."
On the other hand, you have a more expensive piece of equipment - digital imaging is about three times as expensive as analog units - and you'll also need a PACS system in place to store and transmit the images.
