Are a digital mammogram and a 3D mammogram (known as tomosynthesis) the same thing?

No, but they are different types of mammograms. Both involve computer-generated images. A standard 2D digital mammogram captures images from two different angles (or views). Tomosynthesis (3D) captures images from many different angles (projection images). The multiple images are then compiled by a computer and used to create thin “slice” images of a breast. A “3D” mammogram can be performed in addition to a standard 2D mammogram. Tomosynthesis uses x-rays that produce about the same radiation exposure to the breasts as a standard mammogram: if a patient has both 2D and 3D their breasts will receive nearly twice the amount of radiation as from a standard mammogram, though the combined dose is still within standard safety limits. A new technique that creates a 2D-like image from the projection images, i.e. a “synthetic” 2D image, is being used in many centers instead of the standard 2D mammogram. The total radiation dose from tomosynthesis with synthetic 2D images is similar to or slightly more than a standard 2D mammogram and varies with breast thickness and tissue density.