Radiation from Digital vs. Regular Mammogram

My mom died of breast cancer at the age of 55, so I've been getting mammograms since the age of 30. Is there a risk of radiation exposure from having regular mammograms? Should I be getting digital mammograms instead?

Digital mammograms do seem to improve the cancer detection rate in younger women with dense breasts. The radiation dose is not necessarily lower, but images can be manipulated to overcome some of the problem related to density, are easily compared annually, and CAD--Computer Aided Detection—software can be used.

So, yes you should be getting digital mammograms at an ACR-accredited facility. Unfortunately, there is no good evidence that additional screening tests such as ultrasound, MRI, or digital tomosynthesis improves detection rates, except in very high risk women.

And speaking of risk, if your mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at or before age 45 (or had two cancers), or you have another maternal relative with breast cancer, or a relative with ovarian cancer, you should be referred to a genetics counselor. She can provide further risk assessment and, if needed, may suggest risk reduction strategies.