Digital Mammography Arrives on Aquidneck Island
While beneficial to all women, digital mammography proved in a recent clinical trial to detect up to 28 percent more cancers in women under the age of 50 than film mammography.
“Younger women typically have denser breasts, which can make cancerous tissues difficult to see on film images,” says Theodore Kutcher, MD, chief of diagnostic imaging at Newport Hospital. “With digital technology, we can adjust the image contrast and magnify tissue we want to see more closely.”
The sharper images allow radiologists to localize a potential tumor and then, through a non-surgical procedure, test the tissue for malignancy at a follow-up appointment in the diagnostic imaging department.
In addition, digital images are available in approximately 7 seconds, compared to the 15 minutes it takes for a film image to develop. The ability to obtain faster results not only makes the process less time-consuming for patients but also allows the hospital to screen more women per day. Patients no longer need to transport films because the images can be stored and transferred between medical facilities via computer.
To make an appointment for a digital mammogram, please call 401-845-1346.
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