SARASOTA- When it comes to breast cancer, the best prevention is early detection. One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, which is why Dr. Sara Floyd says awareness and prevention are key.
“Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosis in American women secondary only to skin cancer,” said Dr. Floyd. “Also, it’s the second leading cause of cancer related death in women secondary to lung cancer.”
Sarasota Memorial Hospital offers mammography and imaging services, including 3D mammograms.
“It really allows the radiologist to scan through those images we can see multiple slices of each breast,” said Dr. Floyd. “It’s been shown to increase the cancer detection rate and also reduce the recall rates, so do the number of false positives. It’s a really great technology for us.”
Rather than conventional 2D mammograms where breast tissue is condensed into a slide, Dr. Floyd explains, the 3D mammogram, or Breast Homosynthesis allows radiologists to have a closer look at each layer of tissue.
“Breast cancers can hide behind areas of dense tissue, whereas with Breast Homosynthesis, since we are able to scan through multiple slices, we can better detect cancers that are hiding behind areas of dense tissue,” said Dr. Floyd.
Dr. Floyd says the experience with both 2D and 3D mammograms are similar and patients can decide with their physician what their best option is.
“I like the 3D, I feel like I am able to have a better view of the breasts but we are trained in both and I think 2D is certainly better than not getting a mammogram,” said Dr. Floyd.
