Radiology

Since 3D mammograms are viewed by a radiologist “slice by slice”, they have the ability to see through overlapping layers of breast tissue. It is particularly beneficial for women with dense breast tissue (fibrous and glandular tissues are more than fatty tissue). 

With the advantage of 3D viewing, the call-back rate for cone or magnified view mammograms can also be reduced.

Apart from diagnosis of breast diseases such as palpable breast mass, pain and nipple discharge, 3D mammography can detect breast tumours for people with no symptom. Therefore, it is a very useful tool for breast cancer screening.

Since you will be asked to undress from the waist up, it is better to wear a 2-piece outfit. Do not use bath powder or oil, perfumes, creams or deodorants on the day of your visit. Please also bring along your previous mammograms if they were done at another imaging facility.

On arrival to the department, a clinical history related to the examination will be asked. You will remove all clothing and jewellery above your waist and put on an open-front gown. You will then be brought into the examination room. The mammographer will position the breast on the support plate of the mammography machine. A plastic paddle will be lowered to compress your breast against the plate. You may feel some discomfort or pressure during the compression. The machine will take images of the breast while compressing. This lasts just a few seconds. The paddle will then be released immediately. The above steps will be repeated from another angle for a different view of the breast.

Breast compression is necessary for mammography to keep the breast still and minimise motion, which can cause blurred images. Compression also evens out the thickness of the breast so that the X-ray beam can travel through a shorter distance to the detector. This allows for a lower radiation dose and improves image quality.

It means that the radiologist did not find any abnormal areas or issues in the breast based on the images. However, it is important to have periodic breast check-ups from your healthcare provider. 

If the image shows a suspicious area, the radiologist will recommend additional mammographic views or other tests such as ultrasound scan, MRI or biopsy. Your healthcare provider will give you an explanation and recommendation when you receive an abnormal result. 

3D mammography is highly accurate for detecting breast cancer. Nevertheless, there is still an approximate 10% false negative rate. It is important for you to continue breast self-examinations and contact your healthcare provider immediately if you feel anything suspicious or new breast symptoms.