MultiCare
installs advanced digital mammography technology
MADISONVILLE,
KY (December 19, 2011) – MultiCare has installed a high-tech system for breast
cancer screening: Selenia™ digital mammography from
Hologic™.
“Selenia
is state of the art,” said Dr. Brooks Horsley, a board certified radiologist at
MultiCare. “This equipment is the best currently available.”
Digital
mammography is different from conventional mammography in how the image of the
breast is acquired and, more importantly, viewed. The radiologist can magnify images, increase
or decrease contrast and invert the black and white values while reading the
images, allowing the radiologist to evaluate and focus on areas of concern.
“Selenia
will detect smaller calcifications and small peripheral cancers,” he said. “It’s
more sensitive and is better in helping us find cancers that could be missed in
women with dense breasts.”
Published
studies have shown that digital mammography is better than film mammography for
women with dense breasts as most cancers missed by mammography occur in women
with dense breasts.
The
Selenia system also provides additional conveniences for women, as well as for radiologists
interpreting images, said Horsley.
“Selenia
allows us to make fewer exposures in many patients,” he said. “We also added
dedicated mammography workstations with computer-aided detection to assist the
radiologist in reading the mammogram.
“The
system flags extremely small calcifications,” he said. “It’s like having two
pair of eyes.”
By
offering women the latest technology in digital mammography, MultiCare hopes to
increase the number of area women who follow recommendations for regular
screenings.
The American
Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing
for as long as a woman is in good health.
