4 Benefits of Receiving 3D Mammography Screenings
A major but unfortunate part of life is dealing with illnesses. Certain illnesses go away on their own while others require extensive testing and medication to begin treating. Unfortunately, breast cancer is an illness that affects many women. In fact, statistics show that the average woman living in the United States has a 12.4% chance of receiving a positive breast cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to reduce the chance of breast cancer affecting your life. With that in mind, you’ll want to learn more about 3D screening methods. Considering that, here are four benefits of receiving a 3D mammography screening.
- Great for Patients with Dense Breast Tissue
Human bodies vary in many different ways. Considering that, this means that women have varying types of breast tissue thickness. However, it’s often difficult to obtain accurate scan results for women with dense breast tissue. Fortunately, 3D mammography screenings scan breasts at multiple angles. In turn, this helps professionals have an easier time separating the difference between dense and potentially cancerous tissues. - Earlier Detection of Smaller Cancers
It’s best to detect the presence of cancerous cells within the body as early as possible. Medical scans enable professionals to help patients find any sources of cancer within the body. That being said, smaller cancers are often hard to detect through certain types of scanning. Fortunately, 3D mammography screenings take an entire image of the breast. This makes it easier to detect small cancers that otherwise could remain hidden. In fact, statistics show that receiving a mammography reduces someone’s risk of dying from breast cancer from anywhere between 20-40%. - Reduces the Need for Repeat Scans
Dealing with the possibility of having breast cancer often feels overwhelming. With that in mind, the last thing people want to experience during this time is having to receive repeat tests. Unfortunately, 2D medical scans can sometimes produce inconclusive results. When this happens, medical professionals have no choice but to have patients receive another scan. If you want to avoid this stressful situation, it’s wise to consider having a 3D mammography screening performed. - Minimal Amount of Radiation Exposure
Another important concern while receiving a scan is radiation. Certain types of medical scans send sizeable amounts of radiation throughout the body. Therefore, it’s understandable to want to find a scanning option emitting low amounts of radiation. It’s true that 3D mammography screenings do output radiation. However, this amount is lower than the FDA’s regulation for mammography procedures. In addition, there’s been no evidence showing that this small amount of additional radiation causes harm to the body.
In conclusion, it’s important to understand the benefits of 3D mammography screenings. Depending on your age and risk factor, you might be advised to receive these screenings more often than other people. In fact, the American Cancer Society recommends that women in their early 40s who are at average risk for breast cancer receive these screenings yearly. These screenings help play a vital role in women’s lives, detecting cancerous cells as early as possible. If you want to remain protected from the dangers of breast cancer, consider making an appointment to receive a 3D mammogram screening.