Hologic takes aim at USA Today article on DBT

Women's imaging vendor Hologic has issued a statement reaffirming the clinical benefits of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for breast cancer screening in response to a recent USA Today article questioning the exam's value.

Hologic's statement aims to address potential confusion among the public concerning the merits of DBT, or 3D mammography, compared with conventional 2D mammography, in light of allegations made in the news article.

In the story, investigators from Kaiser Health News suggested that mammography vendors, hospitals, physicians, and patient advocates have been promoting the use of DBT -- a more expensive exam than conventional 2D mammography -- for breast cancer screening despite insufficient support from large-scale clinical trials.

Countering these claims, Hologic asserted that more than 250 peer-reviewed clinical studies have demonstrated the diagnostic advantages of DBT over 2D mammography, including the exam's capacity to detect between 20% and 65% more invasive cancers and reduce unnecessary callbacks by as much as 40%.

"3D mammography is unquestionably a superior mammogram," Dr. Nila Alsheik of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL, said in a statement from Hologic. "In my practice, I still see 2 to 3 centimeter cancers that are completely occult on 2D mammography, and only visualized on 3D mammography."

"The clinical benefits of DBT are indisputable ... [and DBT] is approved as superior for women with dense breasts compared to 2D alone," Hologic said.