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To diagnose breast cancer more safely without additional radiation exposure
Around 70,000 women in Germany get new breast cancer every year. Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women. In general, the sooner the tumor is discovered and the more precisely it can be diagnosed, the chances of recovery increase. There is now a new technology available.
Most common malignant tumor in women
Breast cancer, also called breast cancer, is the most common malignant tumor in women. In Germany alone, 70,000 new cases are counted each year. In general, the sooner the tumor is discovered and the more precisely it can be diagnosed, the chances of recovery increase. A new technology now allows more precise images of the breast tissue without additional radiation exposure, reports the University Hospital Freiburg in a message. In addition, false-positive findings are minimized.
In Germany, 70,000 new cases of breast cancer are counted each year. Thanks to a new technology, the diagnostic options have been improved - and without additional radiation exposure. (Image: Sven Bähren / fotolia.com) Many overdiagnoses
Although women between the ages of 50 and 69 can take part in the breast cancer prevention program free of charge, in some places only about every second goes to mammography screening. Often women are afraid of the examination - it is not completely painless. Although it is known that the investigation provides no guarantee, according to experts could be discovered within a year but over 17,000 carcinomas by mammography screenings. However, it is often criticized that the examinations also lead to many overdiagnoses.
Minimization of false-positive findings
Thanks to a new technology, false-positive results can be minimized, reports the University of Freiburg: For optimal diagnosis, conventional 2D mammographic images of breast tissue are combined with 3D images from tomosynthesis.
"The 3D visualization makes it very easy to determine whether densities in the 2D image are due solely to an overlay in the tissue or indeed to a carcinoma. This way false-positive results can be minimized, "explained Prof. Dr. med. Mathias Langer, Medical Director of the Department of Radiology.
Further development of diagnostic safety
This is possible thanks to a new X-ray technology, which is being used for the first time in Central Europe. Namely in the gynecological radiology of the Department of Radiology at the University Hospital Freiburg. According to the information, it represents a significant advancement of diagnostic safety.
"Thanks to newly developed computational methods, the image quality is significantly increased, we can identify microcalcifications more clearly and identify changes more easily than well or badly," says Prof. Langer.
Radiation exposure is lowered
In addition to improved diagnostic capabilities, the new technology also helps reduce radiation exposure. It eliminates one of the conventional 2D mammograms and reduces the total X-ray dose by about 20 to 30 percent.
"This allows us to use all technologies without significantly increasing the radiation exposure for the patient," said Drs. Marisa Windfuhr-Blum, responsible senior physician in gynecological radiology at the University Medical Center Freiburg.
In combination with a clinical as well as an ultrasound examination, the new facility according to the experts thus allows a significant improvement of the diagnosis. (Ad)