Does tomosynthesis sound scary to you? Don’t worry as this is simply an imaging test to detect cancer. This procedure involves a more advanced way of creating 3-dimensional pictures to better see potential cancerous tissues. Find more details about its benefits and pricing among hospitals.
What Are the Benefits for Me?
Here are the advantages of the procedure in detecting abnormalities.
- It can detect even small breast cancers
- Greater accuracy when it comes to size
- Reduces the need for more biopsies
- Clearer images since it has of 3D results
Is it the Same with X-Rays?
You may ask, what’s the difference between tomosynthesis and xray? Technically, it may be regarded as a more specialized form of x-ray. The good part is the equipment can produce a 3D version of the image which makes it more ideal in identifying potential tumors.
Is this different from mammography? Tomosynthesis produces 3D image while mammography creates 2D image.
How Much Do I Have to Pay?
The price of tomosynthesis in Philippine hospitals may start from Php 3,700 to Php 6,800 or more and varies from one hospital to another.
Of course, you can get better pricing when you use a senior citizen ID, Philhealth and health cards. In most HMOs, tomosynthesis is not covered unless it is prescribed by the accredited doctor of the company.
Where Can I Have the Test
A highly specialized diagnostic tool like this may not be available in all hospitals. However, you may first inquire from any major facilities including Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s, Cardinal Santos, Medical City or Asian Hospital.
Not all government hospitals offer this test since in most cases they are providing mammography services. Moreover, it is usually more expensive than traditional mammography.
References: Cleveland Clinic, Standford Medicine
About the Author: The MedicalPinas team publishes articles to help Filipinos find info on various medical services and their prices.