Quo vadis? Trends in Digital Mammography

Purpose: Digital mammography has increasingly replaced conventional screen-film mammography and has now become the standard investigation in combination with monitor diagnosis, both in a clinical and a screening setting. Material and Methods: Large international multicenter studies have demonstrated the equivalence and even the superiority of digital mammography compared to conventional mammography for the detection of breast cancers, especially in dense breasts, in pre-/perimenopausal women and in women younger than 50 years of age. CAD is important for experienced investigators, as it provides increased specificity. Results: Digital mammography offers additional options, including advanced applications such as tomosynthesis, contrast-enhanced mammography and the combination of digital mammography and ultrasound. Conclusion: The future in breast diagnosis will be the fusion of images from different digital systems (hybrid systems).