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What is 3D Mammography?

Dr. Tanvi Jakhi: What is 3D mammography?

In summary, mammography works. Even with traditional 2D mammograms as early as 2001, it showed that prompt annual mammography has the ability to reduce breast cancer deaths by almost 50%[1]. 2D mammography is the older technology. It takes only two images – one from top and the other from the side of the breast. It may miss overlapping tumors between the tissues, if any.

3D mammography exam is the latest technology. It takes many images from different angles, and provides clearer, more detailed pictures.

The key benefits of 3D mammography are as below:

  1. 3D mammography helps doctors see more clearly through the breast tissue and discover any tiny tumors that might be “hiding”, which were not visible on 2D mammogram, or on other modalities such as sonography (ultrasound).
  2. 3D mammography significantly reduces recall rates[1] for any unnecessary additional tests.
  1. 3D mammography is fast, which means
    • Greater patient comfort due to breast tissue being compressed for less time, and
    • Even lower exposure to low-dose X-rays within the stipulated guidelines.
  1. 3D mammography is very useful in high-risk women, i.e., including those with:
    • A family history of breast or ovarian cancer2
    • Dense breast tissue (nearly half of all women above the age of 40 have dense breasts)3
    • A previous diagnosis of breast disease
    • Changes or lumps in the breasts
  1. 3D mammography significantly reduces the risk interval cancers4– that can quickly grow between two regular screenings scheduled one year apart.

Explore our popular blog why 3D mammography protects better against breast cancer for more insights!

  1. Tabar L. et al., Cancer 2001 https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1097-0142(20010501)91:9%3C1724::AID-CNCR1190%3E3.0.CO;2-V
  2. Rose SL, Tidwell AL, Bujnoch LJ, Kushwaha AC, Nordmann AS, Sexton R Jr. Implementation of breast tomosynthesis in a routine screening practice: an observational study. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2013 Jun;200(6):1401-8. doi: 10.2214/AJR.12.9672. PMID: 23701081. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23701081/
  3. https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/breast-cancer-risk-factors-review-evidence/pdf/rfrw-breast-cancer-risk-factors-a-review-of-the-evidence_1.15.pdf
  4. https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts
  5. Johnson K. et al., Radiology, 2021 https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2021204106

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of Hologic Inc.

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© All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a product solicitation or promotion where such activities are prohibited. The content does not represent the position
of Hologic Inc.

Privacy | Terms & Conditions