3D mammograms detect cancer more accurately: Researchers

Though mammograms are generally considered as effective tools for doctors to detect breast cancer, the procedure is not without its own limitations. In addition to producing false-positive results, in many scenarios, mammograms might appear normal even in the presence of breast cancer, leading to numerous missed diagnoses.

However, there might be an option to address the shortcomings. In a new retrospective study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers revealed that an enhanced version of the procedure known as 3D mammography could significantly detect more invasive cancers than the traditional mammogram. Further 3D mammography - known also as tomosynthesis – greatly reduced call-backs for women to undergo secondary imaging.

The researchers hoped their analysis would see increased use of tomosynthesis for cancer detection, and also inspire health care providers to cover the cost of the procedure. According to lead study author Dr Emily Conant, 3D mammography provided a much clearer picture of overall breast tissue.

She told FoxNews.com that many people had compared it to looking at a book; one could see the cover but one could not see the information inside, however 3D mammogram allowed one to flip through the pages.

A normal mammogram only showed up as a 2D image and while this provided an adequate image, 3D mammography was able to allow doctors to fully examine the breast tissue, making it easier for them to spot cancer.

Under the procedure, an X-ray beam moves over the woman's head, instead of just looking at the breast, and send the data into a computer, which is able to create a 3D version of the breast tissue on the screen.

According to Conant, one could actually scroll or leaf through on a monitor, the different layers of the breast tissue. False positives, or things that looked funny on a 2D image, were less frequent because one could scroll through, she said, adding, it was also able to detect cancers that were obscured, hidden behind breast tissue.

Although the 3D mammography was much superior to a regular mammogram, the machines are expensive, and the procedure is not always covered by a patient's insurance. According to commentators, this could change after the findings in Conant's recent study.