Digital mammography: an update

(1) Digital mammography can improve breast-image quality and storage through the digital capture of x-ray images. (2) Large comparative studies indicate that the overall accuracy of full-field digital mammography (FFDM) is similar to that of conventional filmscreen mammography (FSM). (3) Recent evidence suggests that FFDM is more accurate than FSM for diagnosing cancer in women younger than 50 years, those with dense breasts, and pre- or peri-menopausal women. (4) The costs of FFDM are higher than those for FSM. (5) The quality control of FFDM systems offers advantages compared to that of FSM, but it is more complex, and it is associated with a long learning curve.