Digital mammography is a machine that is used for diagnosing breast cancer or any other abnormalities. Unlike the analog unit, the digital unit has many more upgraded attributes.
Advancement
The digital unit requires 60 percent less radiation per picture, needs fewer images and is eight times faster then film mammography (analog), catching cancers in 65 percent of women with dense breast. Once pictures are taken, the radiologist can zoom in, magnify and optimize different parts without needing extra pictures.
Differences
From the patient's point of view, the digital mammography is not really that much different from the analog version. According to Advanced Imaging of Alabama, the positioning, compression and appearance are the same.
Digital Unit
The machine looks like a rectangular box with a tube in which X rays are made. It is used specifically for breast exams and has tools that allow X rays to examine only the breasts. The unit holds a device that positions and compresses the breast in various positions to obtain pictures at different angles.
Significance
Breast exams done by a digital unit are more accurate and quicker, especially for women who have dense breast tissue.
Tags: dense breast, digital unit
