Women between the ages of 50 and 75 are called upon every two years to have a mammogram of their breasts. Sometimes they are referred unnecessarily for follow-up research, which causes concern.
When anything suspicious is seen on the mammogram, women are referred to the hospital. Three quarters of the women ultimately do not have a breast tumor, but they are unnecessarily worried in the period until the result.
New technology
Radiologists from Maastricht UMC+ now have a new technique that allows them to estimate more accurately whether women have a breast tumor, so that fewer women are unnecessarily sent on for follow-up research.
How it works
It concerns Contract Enhanced Spectral Mammography, in which contrast medium is injected before the mammography. This makes the mammogram a lot more accurate.
Numbers
At the standard mammogram, 60 percent of women are told it was a false alarm. With the new CESM technology, this is only 12 percent.
