What good is a mammogram?
Today, with the growth and development of digital mammography, ultrasound and MRI, the question may be raised whether these methods can be used instead of regular mammography to diagnose breast cancer or screen for this disease. It seems that although new techniques provide us with better image quality and enable more accurate diagnosis, they have not yet been able to replace traditional mammography
Mammography is a set of x-ray radiographic images in two dimensions and black and white. Mammography can identify small abnormalities in the breast tissue as small as half a centimeter. You or your doctor will not be able to touch the breast lump until it is twice this size, the size of a large pea
The first mammogram as a baseline image will help the radiologist to compare the next mammogram with it to detect any changes. One of the things that radiologists look for in mammography is “microcalcification” of fine particles of calcium deposits that appear as small white dots on the image
The origin of these particles is unknown. These calcium deposits have nothing to do with the calcium you get from eating, drinking, or taking supplements. 80% of these fine calcium particles are harmless and in some cases may be a sign of breast cancer
Depending on the type and pattern of these calcium particles, the radiologist may determine that it is necessary to take tissue samples, take additional high-magnification radiographs, or repeat the mammogram
What does a mammogram show?
In a mammogram, fat appears gray, denser breast tissue appears white. Small calcium particles and benign or non-cancerous masses as well as malignant or cancerous masses are also seen as white
Abnormalities in mammograms of older and postmenopausal women are easier to detect because their breasts are mainly composed of fat, resulting in a benign or malignant mass that is white in color against a gray background of tissue. Fat is easy to identify
In order to judge whether the detected mass is malignant or not, the radiologist examines its appearance. For example, if small calcium particles are seen all over the breast, they are more likely to be benign, while calcium particles that are small and concentrated in one place are more likely to be cancerous
Benign cysts are usually round with smooth walls, while cancerous tumors have jagged edges. Radiologists often use ultrasound to determine whether a detected mass is benign or not. In general, most abnormalities seen in mammograms turn out to be benign
Mammograms are still useful
Despite the difficulties that mammography has in correctly diagnosing breast cancer, it is still the best tool for detecting breast cancer in its early stages. The quality of mammograms taken today has improved significantly and the amount of radiation used to take them has decreased. Performing regular mammograms of women has been able to reduce deaths caused by breast cancer in many countries