Since 2001, Doylestown Hospital has been using digital mammography, one of the most advanced tools available for breast cancer detection. Digital mammography captures the image of a breast electronically, and is more efficient than traditional film mammography in detecting breast cancer in some younger, premenopausal women.

When it was first introduced at Doylestown Hospital, digital mammography was available only to women with small- to medium-sized breasts. Thanks to newer technology, it will soon be available to all women, including those with large breasts. Doylestown Hospital will be using digital mammography exclusively for every patient.

The expansion of mammography services will also include computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD). This technology automatically pinpoints possible abnormalities on the digital image, notifying radiologists of questionable areas to be re-examined. The result may be more callbacks for patients (to obtain additional images), but more cancers may also be found.

Radiologist Michele Kopach, MD, reassures women that, "Only five to eight percent of woman called back will need a biopsy, and only one percent of women having a screening mammogram actually have breast cancer."