Single view negative mode xeromammography: an approach to reduce radiation exposure in breast cancer screening.

With the increasing use of xeromammography in mass screening for breast cancer, the potential risk to women from repeated exposure to low energy ionizing radiation must be weighed against the benefit of early detection of breast cancer. Although xeromammography allows detection of 80-90% of breast cancers before metastases occur, the radiation hazard from repeated xeromammographic screening must be considered and attempts made to reduce radiation exposure. The dose from xeromammography can be reduced by greater than one half with the single mediolateral view, negative mode imaging technique. Moreover, no reduction of diagnostic accuracy of xeromammography in early detection of breast cancer was found with this technique.