Breast imaging centers are adopting the newer 3D mammography technology because it has the ability to view the breast in slices, similar to the CT scan. This allows areas that appear to have a mass can be viewed layer by layer to see if the suspicious area is just overlying dense breast tissue. Users say this helps a lot in determining is a patient should be called back for additional imaging, biopsy, or if the area of concern is just overlapping tissue. 

Full-field digital mammography (FFDM) has been the standard modality for breast imaging for about two decades, but digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems are rapidly growing in numbers by more than 1,000 new systems installed per year. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Mammography Quality Standards Act and Program (MQSA) statistics, DBT now makes up 46% of the accredited mammography systems in the United States. Looking at the growth pattern the past few years, it is set to overtake FFDM systems within the next couple years.

Lewin said there may be more FFDM systems, but he believes DBT is already the new stand of care.

"From my experience, tomosynthesis is now default breast imaging modality," Lewin said. "I suspect there are still some centers doing only full-field digital mammography, but I think they are far and few between."

He said a lot of centers have FFDM systems, but they are using their newer DBT systems as their front-line imaging  workhorse systems. Lewin said he does not see many centers in his area using FFDM much anymore. Certaining at the larger academic centers and breast centers he has worked with in recent years or referrals, be in daily receiving DBT exams to review.      

"Even though it is more time-consuming to read the tomosynthesis screenings, it is becoming the standard-of-care. And I have to say, there is extra reimbursement if you do a mammography and a tomosynthesis, and that definitely has had an effect on adoption," Lewin said.