Digital mammograms

I have heard regional hospital commercials on TV in the past year or so which mentioned "digital mammography." When I heard the term, my brain just sort of glossed over it, mainly hearing the key word "mammography" and thinking that I was understanding what they were talking about.

But I discovered yesterday that I was wrong. So I thought I'd share...

It was time for my annual mammogram -- past time, actually, I'd gotten so busy in the spring when I usually schedule mine to correspond to my birthday and I'd let it slip.

Anyway, I finally got my act together, called for an appointment and it was yesterday.

The tech was a woman I've had before. She's very caring and works so hard to make the process as painless as possible. But this time she was so excited, to share with me her new tool: The hospital now has digital mammography equipment.

Bottom line: She showed me the computer screen after my exam was done and I was amazed at how it showed so much: blood vessels, what she called calcium deposits and even creases in my breast formed by the compression!

Then she called up my file and showed me one of my screens from a prior year: I was amazed at how much more was visible with the digital imaging.

Of course, I am not trained to read these things, but I can't see how the technicians would have been able to tell anything from the old imaging.

Of course I'm delighted with how much more is readable now. And, it makes sense that the tech told me that the people who trained her told her that she could expect a lot more call backs with the new technology -- the radiologists who read them have so much more to see.

She assured me that SHOULD I be called back, I should not get all hyper and worried that it's because they're seeing cancer. More likely, they just need to take a second look from a slightly different angle to be sure of what they are seeing.

Seems to me that this advanced ability to see ought to mean more women who have cancer will be able to benefit from early diagnosis. Although, I'm not sure about that. I just Googled "digital mammograms" and the articles I found were not conclusive.

Here's one from last year, published originally in Newsweek and republished in The Daily Beast, which claims the whole push to digital imaging is a "medical hustle."

So anyone else out there have experience with one? Or any knowledge you'd like to share?

Guess not many of us want to talk about this topic.

But, since I've become aware that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I will link to this great map from the CDC, which is designed to help people find your nearest breast cancer screening provider.

I've heard of the new digital screenings, but I don't think I've had one, or at least it wasn't shown to me if I did. I have to get a mammogram every year because of the extensive history of breast cancer on my Mom's side (all four sisters, a cousin, numerous great aunts). I did notice that my last one a few months ago was much less painful than it used to be.

The equipment looked about the same to me: I still had to get into a somewhat contorted positioned with the breast to be scanned on the bottom plate and the tech applied compression.

She told me she need to get the compression to "at minimum a 4" and anything higher than that is all the better. I had them stop compression at 8. And yes, it wasn't as painful as I recall from the past.