3D Mammography Now Available at Shannon Imaging Center

Shannon is proud to be the first hospital in West Texas to offer 3D mammography, a new breast imaging tool that improves the early detection of breast cancer. 3D mammography is proven to detect breast cancers earlier, reduce unnecessary call backs, and find more invasive breast cancers while using less radiation.

Digital breast tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, utilizes the same x-ray technology as traditional mammography, or 2D mammography. Three-dimensional images allow the breast tissue to be viewed in thin layers. The layers allow miniscule details to be more readily exposed instead of possibly being hidden by overlapping breast tissue, particularly in patients with dense breasts. Additionally, 3D-guided biopsies are used when a suspected area is identified. This minimally invasive technique is used to target miniscule lesions that cannot be seen with traditional mammography alone.

“Combining these screening methods increases the accuracy of detection, which decreases the number of call-back appointments for additional screening,” says Dr. Michelle Snuggs, Chief Radiologist at the Shannon Women’s Imaging Center. “This spares our patients the inconvenience, and most importantly the anxiety, of coming back for another appointment.”

For more info about 3D mammography visit ShannonHealth.com/3d. To schedule an appointment, call the Shannon Imaging Center at 325-481-2339.