Film and digital mammograms provide pictures of a woman's breast that can potentially show malignant and benign changes. Both use X-rays to take the picture, but digital mammograms capture images onto a computer and have been shown to be more effective at detecting breast changes for many women.
History
For the past several decades, film mammograms have been the medical standard and have been attributed with helping to decrease the breast cancer death rate among American women. But in the last decade, digital mammograms have been proven to be more effective, according to a National Cancer Institute study.
Features
While film mammograms take a single picture, digital mammograms have the ability to take several pictures. Medical professionals can digitally manipulate the photos using special software after they have been taken to get a clearer picture. This has especially benefited women who have dense breasts, because film mammograms often aren't able to capture photos of all of their breast tissue, but digital mammograms can.
Significance
Though digital mammography is a newer technology, it isn't the best choice for every woman. The National Cancer Institute study found that digital mammograms were more effective at detecting breast changes for women younger than 50, those with dense breasts, and women who have recently entered menopause. Talk with your doctor to determine whether film or digital mammography is best for you.
Tags: digital mammograms, have been, film mammograms, mammograms have, more effective
