ABSTRACT
Mammography is a radiographic examination that is specially designed for detecting breast cancer. Digital mammography is currently the most e›ective screening and diagnostic tool for early detection of breast cancer. ™e details are in Chapter 7. It has been attributed as a major factor in reducing breast cancer mortality rate in recent years (Pisano et al. 2005). Until recently, screen-œlm mammography was the standard breast imaging tool used in conventional mammography. New developments in detector technology and computers are altering the landscape of mammography imaging. Digital mammography, also called full-œeld digital mammography (FFDM), o›ers the promise of revolutionizing the practice of mammography through its superior dose and contrast performance. ™e overall diagnostic accuracy of digital and œlm mammography as a means of screening for breast cancer are similar, but digital mammography is more accurate in women younger than 50 years, women with radiographically dense breasts, and premenopausal or perimenopausal women (Pisano et al. 2004). In addition, advanced applications made possible through digital imaging, such as computer-aided diagnosis (Chapters 14 and 21), dual energy, contrast enhancement
(Chapter 2), and 3-D tomosynthesis (Chapter 4) are expected to further improve diagnostic sensitivity and speciœcity.
