New modalities in breast imaging: digital mammography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Mammography is currently the only screening method available with proven capability to diagnose nonpalpable breast cancer. However, mammography does not detect all cancers. Cancers are more difficult to detect in radiographically dense breasts because lesions are obscured by breast tissue. Digital mammography and magnetic resonance imaging of the breast may minimize the problems associated with screening dense breasts. If these methods prove to be useful, more cancers could be detected at an earlier stage.