Mammography

Breast cancer is the most common female malignancy in the USA and second on ly to lung malignancy in cancer mortality. The only screening modality that effectively detects early breast cancer and decreases mortality is mammogr aphy. Because many females turn to obstetrician gynecologists for breast ca ncer screening, an understanding of the benefits and limitations of mammogr aphy and the breast imaging reporting and data system is imperative. Mammog raphy remains the most cost effective and sensitive tool for early detectio n. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 13:15-23. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkin s.