Health Minute: 3D Mammography Screenings Rise In Popularity

WESTERN NEW YORK – Popularity of 3D Mammograms has skyrocketed, but are they better than 2D?

Some say 3D is more accurate, although evidence that it actually reduces the number of deaths from Breast Cancer is lacking.

According to research published in the Medical Journal JAMA Internal Medicine, 3D screenings more than tripled from 2015 to 2017. From 13 percent of screening examinations to 43 percent.

The 3D technology popularity varies by region and income levels.

The northeast and northwest parts of the country saw the most screening, but the southeast regions haven’t been as quick to adopt it.

The exact benefits of 3D over the standard 2D images have yet to be proven. So for now, the Food and Drug Administration requires a patient to get both.