7 Healthcast: Digital mammograms

"This feels rather nice."
 
Gynecologist Dr. Soyini Powell is all for a better mammogram experience.
 
Dr. W. Soyini Powell, ob-gyn
"Anything we can do to make it more pleasant, more comfortable, more user friendly is always an added bonus."
 
But she also knows results are important.
 
Dr. W. Soyini Powell, ob-gyn
"The digital mammography works so well at picking up minute, small things. By the time you actually palpate a lump it's a pretty big cancer, so you want to get it tiny, tiny, tiny and that's what the digital mammography allows for."
 
Unlike film mammography, digital produces an electronic image.  Doctors can highlight and zoom into areas of concern to examine them more closely, unlike with traditional mammograms.
 
Research shows digital mammograms are best for women who are under the age of 50, have dense breasts or are pre-menopausal.
 
Patricia Harmon gets mammograms every six months.  She's had breast cancer twice and says digital mammograms are reassuring.
 
Patricia Harmon Chester, breast cancer survivor
"It's clearer. It's much more clearer for the doctors and I think they can see a much clearer picture than they used to years ago."
 
But Patricia says she still does her monthly breast self exam.
 
Patricia Harmon Chester, breast cancer survivor
"At least once a month or more you know, every month."
 
And doctors say it's just as important.
 
Dr. W. Soyini Powell, ob-gyn
"They're yours, you need to know what's going on and if you do monthly breast self exams, the slightest subtle change your fingers will know that."
 
Doctors say another advantage of digital mammograms is that they're quicker and require fewer call backs for additional pictures.

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