While screening mammography, be it screen-film, digital or enhanced by computer-aided detection software, is the best option for detecting breast cancer at an early, treatable stage, there are some limitations to the technology.

• Unfortunately, finding cancer during a mammogram, even when the tumor is small, doesn’t always mean you will be cured. Mammograms may not be helpful if the cancer is fast-growing or aggressive and it has already spread to other parts of the body.
• False negatives occur when mammograms appear to be normal, even though there is cancer present. According to the National Cancer Institute, screening mammograms miss up to 20 percent of breast cancers that are present at the time of screening. These false negatives occur more often in younger women who usually have denser breasts, making cancer difficult to detect.
• All abnormal mammograms need to be followed with additional testing to determine if cancer is present.