Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in Taiwan. Statistics show that with early detection and proactive treatment, the five-year survival rate can exceed 90%, underscoring the critical importance of early diagnosis. St. Martin De Porres Hospital has recently upgraded its mammography equipment to incorporate advanced 3D digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) technology, integrated with an AI-assisted interpretation system. This enhances both the accuracy and comfort of breast cancer screening, better safeguarding women’s health.

Conventional 2D mammography remains the primary tool for breast cancer screening. However, for women with dense breast tissue, early-stage tumors are often obscured within glandular structures, making detection challenging. To address this, St. Martin De Porres Hospital invested in 3D DBT equipment, which captures multi-angle scans to generate layered images. This enables physicians to examine the breast’s internal structure with greater clarity, significantly reducing diagnostic blind spots caused by tissue overlap and improving sensitivity for detecting early tumors.

Dr. Teh-Er Huang, Director of the Department of Medical Imaging at St. Martin De Porres Hospital, explained that 3D DBT is particularly beneficial for women with dense breasts, a group for whom traditional 2D imaging often yields inconclusive results. The technology provides detailed visualization of each breast tissue layer, enabling detection of tumors smaller than 1 cm—crucial for achieving early diagnosis and treatment.

In addition to hardware advancements, the hospital has implemented an AI-powered interpretation system. Trained on extensive medical imaging datasets, the AI assists physicians in preliminary screening and prioritization of suspicious areas, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy. Dr. Huang noted that AI-assisted analysis reduces false-positive rates, minimizing unnecessary biopsies or follow-up exams while accelerating reporting times and enhancing clinical efficiency.

Dr. Huang added that the upgraded 3D DBT not only delivers sharper images but also requires less compression during exams, significantly reducing discomfort. This improvement encourages women who previously avoided screenings due to pain concerns to participate more readily.

Currently, Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) offers biennial subsidized breast cancer screenings for women aged 40–74 using 2D mammography, which has proven effective for the general population. However, Dr. Huang advises high-risk groups—such as those with a family history of breast cancer, a personal history of breast disease, or dense breast tissue—to consider 3D DBT for more precise results. Notably, 3D DBT is not yet covered by NHI and requires out-of-pocket payment.