A study published this summer in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that 3-D mammography—also known as digital breast tomosynthesis—discovered 41 percent more invasive cancer than traditional screening. What’s more, the study says 3-D mammography found 29 percent more cancer overall and resulted in 15 percent fewer false positives.
Fortunately, women in Mt. Lebanon do not have far to travel for the benefits of 3-D mammography.
St. Clair Hospital’s Breast Care Center in adjacent Bethel Park offers 3-D mammography, and does so in an environment of comfort, convenience and beauty. The FDA-approved advanced diagnostic imaging technology is often used in conjunction with traditional digital mammography as part of a woman’s annual screening mammogram to capture more breast images.
3-D breast tomosynthesis uses high-powered computing to convert digital images into a stack of very thin layers or “slices”—building what is essentially a 3-dimensional mammogram.
The 3-D images allow specially trained physicians to examine breast tissue one layer at a time. The screening exam uses very low X-ray energy so a patient’s radiation exposure is safely below the American College of Radiology guidelines.
With 3-D images, St. Clair Hospital diagnostic radiologists can see tissue detail in a way never before possible. Fine details are more clearly visible. And when used together, 3-D breast tomosynthesis and 2-D mammography have been proven to reduce call backs for false positives in which patients are asked to return for follow-up examinations to rule out any suspicious areas. The use of 3-D tomosynthesis has also proven particularly beneficial in women with dense breast tissue and has reduced the number of unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures.
The St. Clair Hospital Breast Care Center is on the third floor of the St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center, Village Square, 2000 Oxford Drive, Bethel Park. To contact the center, please call 412-942-3177. To schedule an appointment, please call 412-942-8150.