I hate annual check-ups. I hate mammograms. I’m having to do them annually because of a benign biopsy they did a year ago. Boy, was that a lot of fun. In truth, it didn’t hurt much except for the fact that I had to hold my arm over my head for 45 minutes.
But the place where I get my mammography done uses digital technology. There’s not much difference for me, the patient, I guess – I mean, the metal plate is still damn cold – but they can react faster. Right after she took that image, she ran off to read it, had another medical professional check it, and then – wham! – I went in for the biopsy. FAST.According to RadiologyInfo,
"Digital mammography, also called full-field digital mammography (FFDM), is a mammography system in which the x-ray film is replaced by solid-state detectors that convert x-rays into electrical signals. These detectors are similar to those found in digital cameras. The electrical signals are used to produce images of the breast that can be seen on a computer screen or printed on special film similar to conventional mammograms.
From the patient's point of view, digital mammography is essentially the same as the screen-film system."But faster. And faster, when it comes to diagnosis, is always better. But still cold.
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