JACKSONVILLE, Texas — The UT Health East Texas HOPE Breast Care Center has added a new mammography unit in Jacksonville that provides 3D technology as a way to increase the detection of breast cancer.
This technology will allow images to be divided into multiple layers for the radiologist to review one layer at a time, which will help the radiologist find smaller cancers that may be harder to find at an earlier stage.
Dr. Brandon Ashton, who is a board-certified diagnostic radiologist at UT Health East Texas HOPE Breast Care Center, says that the 3D mammogram brings an advantage when seeing through tissue.
“Any technology we can use to visualize the tissue better, including dividing the image up into multiple slices instead of seeing it as one picture, helps us find breast cancer sooner," said Dr. Ashton. "Digital breast tomography or 3D mammography also often helps us determine which findings in the breast are not worrisome without calling patients back for additional imaging.”
He also says there's no significant difference in the exam for the patient, but it's shown in what the machine does.
“Everything we do here in breast imaging is to enable us to identify finding breast cancer sooner,” said Dr. Ashton. “Finding breast cancer is important, but it’s not just about detecting the cancer. It’s about finding the cancer at the earliest moment in time. That allows women to receive less aggressive treatment and have much better outcomes.”
3D mammography also is offered on the mobile mammography unit, which travels to surrounding areas in East Texas.
Screening guidelines recommend a baseline screening mammogram from ages 35 through 40 and annual screening mammograms at 40 years and older.
For more information or to schedule a mammogram, visit UTHealthEastTexas.com/Mammogram or call 903-541-5333.