How to Get a Digital Mammogram

Traditional mammograms can detect breast cancer while the tumor is small and has not yet spread. Changes in the breasts can be seen up to 2 years before they can be felt. However, for women with dense breast tissue, digital mammography offers a 20 to 25 percent increase in the detection rate.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Decide if a digital mammogram is of benefit to you. If you are under age 50, pre-menopausal or have delayed childbirth into your late 30s or early 40s, you may tend toward denser breast tissue. With the traditional mammography X-ray dense tissue appears as white areas. Breast cancer has a similar look so it can get lost in the normal tissue.
2. Talk to your doctor about the benefits of a digital mammogram as opposed to a traditional mammogram. Traditional mammograms are taken and stored on an X-ray. Digital mammograms are electronic images stored in the computer. They can be manipulated and magnified, adjusted for brightness and contrast. The images are ready in seconds. And they use a lower dose of radiation.
3. Find a medical center that uses digital mammography. Even though digital is superior to film, not every facility has the equipment for it yet. Also, don't underestimate the worth of a good radiologist who will interpret what the mammogram shows.
4. Make sure that your insurance will cover the digital mammogram as opposed to the traditional X-ray mammogram before you go to the medical center.