什么是数码式乳房X线照相术(Digital Mammograghy)?

2009-01-09 07:47:04

什么是数码式乳房X线照相术?
       今天去做了annual screening Mammogram. 与去年不同的是Image center 用了DigitalMammograghy. 它跟一般的Mammograghy有什么差别呢? 我把Image center发给我的informationsheet 打出来转给大家, 也许你已经用了这项新配备或不久的将来你会遇到.

What is Digital Mammograghy?


DigitalMammograghy is the combination of two technologies: conventional x-raysand computers, much like today's digital cameras. Digital Mammograghyis addressing the limitations of current conventional film screenmammograghy. With digital mammograghy the image is immediatelyavailable for the technologist to review and is then transferred to acomputer as opposed to traditional x-ray film. The computer enables ourRadiologists to enhance the image's diagnostic quality to betterevaluate any suspicious areas.
Advantages of Digital Mammograghy:
1. Decrease in exam time.
(This is important for those who may have experienced discomfort associated with prior mammograghy exams.)
2. Decrease in radiation dose.
3. Decrease in additional views and call backs.
4. Electronic manipulation of images.
TheRadiologist can zoom in, magnify, optimize different areas of thebreast with a minimal number of pictures. With conventional film screenmammograghy additional images were often necessary at differenttechniques to see all areas of the breast well. Digital Mammograghygives us more information on just one picture. (The information is fromImageCare at latham,NY at 518-786-1600)

我的看法:做的仪器和过程与去年的完全一样(它说Decrease in radiation dose,我不知怎样?),只是仪器连接到电脑上,影像直接到电脑里,没有过去那种硬的X光片了.你可以当场在电脑里看到自己照出来的影像,只是看不懂而已. Radiologist马上就可以看影像,出结果,假如你很紧急的话,"立等可取".通常一星期后结果寄到Primary Care Physician里.

附加下面的信息,以供参考:
How should I prepare?
Beforescheduling a mammogram, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and otherspecialty organizations recommend that you discuss any new findings orproblems in your breasts with your doctor. In addition, inform yourdoctor of any prior surgeries, hormone use, and family or personalhistory of breast cancer.

Do not schedule your mammogram for the week before your period if your breasts are usually tender during this time. The best time for a mammogram is one week following your period. Always inform your doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.

The ACS also recommends you:
Donot wear deodorant, talcum powder or lotion under your arms or on yourbreasts on the day of the exam. These can appear on the mammogram ascalcium spots.
Describe any breast symptoms or problems to the technologist performing the exam.
If possible, obtain prior mammograms and make them available to the radiologist at the time of the current exam.
Askwhen your results will be available; do not assume the results arenormal if you do not hear from your doctor or the mammography facility.

How is the procedure performed?
Mammography is performed on an outpatient basis.
Duringmammography, a specially qualified radiologic technologist willposition your breast in the mammography unit. Your breast will beplaced on a special platform and compressed with a paddle (often madeof clear Plexiglas or other plastic). The technologist will graduallycompress your breast.

Breast compression is necessary in order to:
Even out the breast thickness so that all of the tissue can be visualized.
Spread out the tissue so that small abnormalities are less likely to be obscured by overlying breast tissue.
Allow the use of a lower x-ray dose since a thinner amount of breast tissue is being imaged.
Hold the breast still in order to minimize blurring of the image caused by motion.
Reduce x-ray scatter to increase sharpness of picture.
Thetechnologist will stand behind a glass shield during the x-rayexposure. You will be asked to change positions between images. Theroutine views are a top-to-bottom view and an oblique side view. Theprocess will be repeated for the other breast.
You must hold verystill and may be asked to keep from breathing for a few seconds whilethe x-ray picture is taken to reduce the possibility of a blurredimage. The technologist will walk behind a wall or into the next roomto activate the x-ray machine.

When the examination is complete,you will be asked to wait until the radiologist determines that all thenecessary images have been obtained.

The examination process should take about 30 minutes.

檢查前的準備
美國癌症學會（ACS）和其他醫學會建議在安排乳房攝影前，應向醫師詳述任何乳房的異常或症狀。個人的手術史、荷爾蒙製劑的使用情況（例如避孕藥）以及乳癌的家族史都要對醫師詳細告知。

有些人在月經來潮前一個星期，會有乳房脹痛的情形，則安排檢查時應該避開此一時段；最好的時機是月經結束後一星期內。如果有可能懷孕，一定要告訴醫師和放射技師（即操作乳房攝影的人員）。

美國癌症學會對受檢的女性還有如下建議:

檢查當天不要在腋下或乳房塗抹除臭劑、爽身粉或乳液，它們可能使影像出現類似鈣化的斑點。
要對操作的技師詳述乳房的症或異常狀況。
可能的話，取得以前做過的乳房攝影底片，以供放射科醫師看片時對照。
詢問何時可以看報告；如果沒接到醫師或乳房檢查中心的通知，切勿當作一切正常。

攝影時會用透明壓克力板固定並夾住乳房。檢查當天不必空腹，放射技師會要求受檢者去除腰部以上的衣物、珠寶、配件、飾品等，然後換上寛鬆的前開式袍子。攝影時會用透明壓克力板固定並夾住乳房，但是不會痛。檢查中會變換不同的角度，只要放鬆肌肉，聽從放射技師的指示即可。通常半小時以內可以完成檢查，不過放射技師可能會等影像出來，確定不用加照其他角度後，才會讓受檢者更衣回家。

為何要夾住乳房呢？（有些人可能對這個步驟有點害怕，其實放射技師會調整夾子的力道，所以一般是不痛的。）

使乳房厚度一致，所有的組織都攤平以利攝影。
組織攤開後，小腫瘤比較不會被很厚的正常組織遮掩。
組織越薄，穿透它所需的X光劑量就越低，同時減少散射現象，使影像細節更顯銳利。
固定乳房，以免任何小移動造成影模糊（正常呼吸時，乳房也會小輻度移動）。


攝影時會用透明壓克力板固定並夾住乳房

for more information, go to:
http://imaginis.com/breasthealth/digital_mammo.asp
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=mammo
http://www.fda.gov/CDRH/MAMMOGRAPHY/dig-faq.html