Digital breast tomosynthesis

Digital mammography is the most important method for early diagnosis of breast cancer. The typical overlapping of normal and pathological tissue during the standard 2D projection, however, often reduces the specificity and sensitivity of the mammographic investigation. Digital breast tomosynthesis provides on the basis of a limited number of single images with different projection angles not superimposed tomograms and may remove the unwanted masking by superimposed structures. Clinical studies must show whether the digital tomosynthesis has the real potential to reduce the recall rate and simultaneously increase the cancer detection rate, especially in women with dense breasts. (orig.)