BOSTON -- Even though mammograms miss about 20 percent of tumors, they are still considered the gold standard and worth getting. But now there are two new cutting-edge tests that are helping more women beat breast cancer.

"I actually had two cancers in one and that started this 15-year roller coaster ride," said breast cancer survivor Peggy Graham.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported that Graham survived breast cancer twice. Now she is waiting for test results again after another suspicious spot was found during a checkup.

"She saw something on that particular scan that she thought the PET scan may clarify a little bit more," Graham said.

The positron emission tomography-computerized tomography, or PET/CT, scan is the latest screening technique, helping doctors identify recurring cancers more clearly than any other test, doctors said. The Lahey Clinic is one of only two hospitals in Massachusetts using it.

"This is the best test available at this point to identify if the breast cancer cells have spread," said Dr. Edward Pinkus of the Lahey Clinic.

Before the test, the patient is injected with a radioactive dye. Because the cancer cells are more active, these areas show up very clearly on the scan. The PET/CT scan shows if the cancer is active, if it's growing and if the cancer treatment is working.

"We have other tools we use to try to find cancer," said Dr. Betsy Angelakis of the Lahey Clinic.

Another new screening technique, called the breast gamma emission imaging system, is especially useful for women with dense breast tissue. The test can spot hard-to-see lumps that a mammogram could miss, doctors said.

"You can see after injecting the radioactive material the breast cancer lights up. Where this hot spot is, we know there's a cancer and we know we have to do more tests," said Angelakis.

As Graham awaits her test results, she said she is thankful for the technology, regardless of her diagnosis.

"It's helped a lot of woman survive like me. Fifteen years is a pretty good record, and I think you're seeing more and more women that are surviving longer," Graham said.