Mammography is an imaging technique that uses X-rays to visualize the breast tissue thoroughly. The X-rays used in mammography have reduced dosages that minimize radiation exposure to the patient and the radiologist. The low dose X-ray is achieved using targets made up of common atomic weight alloys( like molybdenum and rhodium) and filters made up of aluminum or pallidum( these filters eliminate the photons).
Mammography is used to detect breast cancer in the early stages. It has been reported that 75% of breast cancer cases were seen at least a year earlier before being felt using mammography. When diagnosed in time, breast cancer can be cured easily without surgery or complicated procedures. Therefore, it is suggested to regularly get mammography at the mammography screening clinic in Boise.
The role of mammography in identifying breast cancer.
Breast cancer is felt or visualized with naked eyes in the later stages of the disease. At a late stage, the disease can be fatal. It may have metastasized (the property of cancerous cells to spread from one location to another. This property is associated with malignant tumors) to the nearby lymph nodes or tissues. The metastatic property of malignant tumors makes the treatment extremely complicated.
Mammography helps diagnose the cancerous tissue when the cancerous tumor is small, non-palpable, and there are no visual changes in the breast. With early diagnosis, the treatment is quick with minor complications. Reports have shown that mammography has reduced the mortality rate of breast cancer.
How does mammography diagnose cancerous tissue?
Mammography is the procedure’s name, while a mammogram is the X-ray picture of the breast. A mammogram can show the presence of a cancerous tumor 2-3 years earlier than it can be felt.
In a mammogram, the doctor looks for an abnormal area in the tissue, which could be a reason for concern. A tumor or a lump is visualized as a focused white area on the mammogram. The radiologist looks out for white, high-density tissue areas and notes their size, shape, and edges.
The cancerous tissue is much denser than the fat tissue of the breast. Therefore, it appears as a light shade of grey or white color on a mammogram.
With the aid of the latest technologies like mammography, a disease with a mortality rate of 100% is now curable. Women are advised to get a mammography done once every year. At the same time, a female with a family history of breast cancer is recommended to have a mammography done once every six months.
