Digital Mammography

Annual screening mammography remains the only scientifically proven lifesaving imaging modality for the detection of breast cancer, with reduction in breast cancer mortality up to 40%. The American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging recommend annual screening mammography beginning at age 40. SMIL offers full-field digital mammography. We were the first facility in the entire Southwest to introduce full-field digital mammography. Full-field digital mammography shows statistically significant cancer detection over conventional mammography in a subset of patients, which includes patients with dense breast tissue, age less than 50 and perimenopausal women. Both conventional and digital mammography require breast compression and low-dose radiation. Today's low-dose radiation mammography equipment is safe and effective.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) for mammography

For greater accuracy, SMIL offers the state-of-the-art R2 CAD system. CAD is an exciting advance in the field of breast imaging that provides the radiologist with a computerized second review of mammograms. Computeraided detection is a computer-generated algorithm that identifies areas of density, asymmetries and calcifications. CAD effectively functions as a "second pair of eyes" and has been shown in studies to improve cancer detection by up to 20%.