A mammogram is a special x-ray examination of the breast made with specific equipment that can often find tumours too small to be felt.  A dedicated machine to perform mammograms is better than a typical x-ray scanner, as the dose is reduced, the equipment is optimised to get the best image of the breasts, and the image is of a much higher definition.

MDI operates digital equipment which has many advantages.  Firstly, it reduces the x-ray dose.  It also means the examination itself is quicker.  The images are clearer and easier to read – especially close to the skin line.  And the image is available within seconds.  Thus radiographers do not have to call back patients because of poor examinations.

The National Cancer Institute (USA) performed a thorough comparison of standard mammography and digital mammography, and concluded that digital mammography’s advantages was significant for the following groups of women:

• under age 50 (no matter what level of breast tissue density they had)
• of any age with heterogeneously (very dense) or extremely dense breasts
• pre- or perimenopausal women of any age (defined as women who had a last menstrual period within 12 months of their mammograms)

In addition, MDI’s equipment locates any anomalies very precisely.  So when a biopsy needs to be taken, the equipment allows automatic calculation of the co-ordinates of the lesion.  This will result in quicker exams and less discomfort for women.