You may not need a 3-D mammogram anymore for routine breast screening. Read to find out why.

Breast cancer has become one of the most common types of cancer. There are more than a million cases every year regarding this. The symptoms are a lump in the breast, bleeding from the nipple, pain in the nipple or breast, redness of the skin around the nipple, swelling of the entire breast area and many more. If we see if one or more of these symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor before it is too late.

Now, what is a 3-D mammogram?

D mammogram is a technique using which people can detect breast cancer. It gives an X-ray of the breast in 3-D images and people use it in routine breast screenings. Even when a person does not have cancer, this technique can verify if the person has any reason to worry. In fact, it can even find out the reason if any person has breast cancer. This technique is quite revolutionary and reports say that it is far better than its 2-D version. But every technology can have a downside too.

Although the 3-D mammogram can detect lumps, it also detects lumps that are not harmless. It cannot differentiate between cancerous lumps and the lumps that do not cause any harm. As a result, it leads to the anxiety of the person getting the results. It can also lead to unnecessary treatment and expenditure. Reports say that the recall rate after 3-D mammography was lower than compared to 2-D mammography.

The recall rate is the number of women that had to return after the screening for more tests and procedures. However, in the Medical Journal of Australia, the new Australian research says that there are more cases of false alarm in 3-D mammography. They saw that many lumps that the 3-D mammography detected were less invasive and unlikely to cause any harm. So, undergoing treatment for these lumps will not give any benefit.

So we can say that routine best screening may not require 3-D mammography always. Or if someone wishes to go through that procedure, it is essential to know both the potential risks and benefits.