I’m sure most people have already seen this, but I think it’s pretty cool. PC World’s Best 100 Products of the Year!

Why are mammograms not recommended for women under 40?
Mammography is a very effective breast cancer screening tool overall. However, it may be more effective at detecting tumors in older women than in younger women. Images on mammograms appear in gradations of black, gray and white, depending on the density of the tissue. Bone shows up as white; fat appears dark gray and cancerous tumors appear a lighter shade of gray or white.

Unfortunately, dense normal breast tissue can also appear light gray on a mammogram, which can make mammograms harder to interpret in younger women, since they tend to have denser breasts. After menopause, though, breast density usually begins to decrease, making the mammograms of older women easier to read.

This post is for the Blogathon 2006! I am blogging for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information about what I am doing, please click here!