How does film screen mammography differ from digital mammography?
Dr. Fein-Zachary: Digital mammography utilizes the latest technologies available for breast imaging. Similar to a digital camera, images are collected digitally so they can be manipulated by software programs to enhance the images. If we see something suspicious on a digital mammogram, we can zoom in on that area, on our digital monitors. With film mammography, a piece of film is put into a cassette and we only have one chance to obtain an optimal image. Once the film is exposed, it cant be manipulated at a viewbox. Many mammography centers are moving to digital mammography but right now, the demand is greater than the supply and digital mammography is not yet readily available at all centers. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center offers both digital and film screen mammography. Q: Who should get a digital mammogram? Dr. Fein-Zachary: A large national study that analyzed the differences between film screen and digital mammography, called DMIST (Digital Mammography Imaging Screen Trial),
