Evidence continues to mount, showing that 3D mammography, AKA digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), shows a lot more than traditional mammography. This is something most radiologists have known for quite some time, but news outlets are beginning to take note and are publishing articles about it, which can lead to more demand from patients.
Recently, GlobeNewswire published an article citing a DBT market research report, showing that the market is expected to grow from $2.5 billion in 2020 to $4.8 billion by 2025. NPR, which has roughly 57 million listeners, heard a report two years ago about DBT and its advantages over traditional mammography, and there have been many other news articles and segments made about DBT by other major news organizations. Is your radiology practice ready for the influx of DBT services?
More Accurate Screenings
Some of the recent research has pointed to a combination of DBT with traditional mammography as the key to preventing false positives. Some of these studies have involved tens of thousands of screening evaluations, resulting in information that shows a decline in interval cancers when both methods are used.
False positives are a burden on more than one front. For the radiologist, it means scheduling repeat exams, adding to the workload and spurring on radiologist burnout, which is already an issue in the industry. There is also the stress factor that falls on the patient who is told they might have cancer when there actually is none present.
In some situations, viewing DBT and other mammography-related images can be part of the problem. Whether it’s disparate PACS that have trouble communicating or a situation where the only way to view images is on a dedicated viewer, there are ways to get around the roadblocks and make faster diagnoses from almost anywhere. Vendor neutral archiving (VNA) technology has been the problem solver for many healthcare providers.
There are cloud-based VNA solutions available that are cost effective and give radiologists more flexibility in how they manage data, including DBT images.
Cloud-Based Solutions
There are a variety of vendors offering cloud-based radiology solutions and some of the best have a focus on mammography, including DBT. For example, at OffSite Image Management, we’re providing an unrivaled viewing experience via our MAMMO viewing technology. The following is what you get when you partner with OffSite:
- Reference lines between MLO and CC images
- Mammography CAD support of virtually any vendor
- Reference lines between MG and US
- Tomosynthesis cine + MIP creation
OffSite’s solution for viewing and processing MRI, Ultrasound, mammography and DBT includes all the common image processing functions, including image caparison measurements and much more.
Sign up for our SaaS model and get unlimited upgrades, unlimited updates, software support and training. For more information, contact us today.