Pros and cons for breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis – a review of the literature

Abstract

Breast cancer screening programs using mammography proved their value in detecting breast cancer at early stages and, consequently, reducing the mortality from this disease.

Due to the technological progress, the screening programs have shifted from screen-film mammography to digital mammography and nowadays digital breast tomosynthesis became the focus of breast imaging research. Using tomosynthesis in screening increases cancer detection rates and decreases recall and false-positive rates, thus improving the effectiveness of breast cancer screening programs, with positive consequences on health care costs and on patient psychology.

More long-term follow-up data must be collected for assessing absolute sensitivity and specificity of digital breast tomosynthesis, together with efforts for addressing the limitations of the method.