In 2011, Memorial Regional Hospital’s Women’s Imaging Center was among 16 facilities across the country engaged in a Harvard University-led clinical trial of Tomosynthesis, a revolutionary 3-D breast cancer detection technology system. The results of the trial were so positive that once it was FDA approved, Memorial Healthcare System began offering this new form of mammography at Memorial Regional Hospital. And as of October, tomosynthesis will be available at Memorial Hospital Miramar.
While tomosynthesis equipment looks similar to a typical mammography machine and uses X-ray like the standard 2-D digital mammography, the tomosynthesis mammography camera moves in an arc over the breast taking 15 mini-pictures within 4 seconds. These multiple pictures create a layer-by-layer look of the breast tissue – 1mm at a time – removing tissue overlap that may hide cancers or mistake dense breast tissue as tumors.
.jpg)
Now the breast radiologist can see breast tissue detail in a way that was never before possible. “The best analogy is that we’re looking for a polar bear in a snow storm,” said Mary Hayes, MD, medical director, Women’s Imaging at Memorial Healthcare System. “The addition of tomosynthesis lets us see through the storm more cleary. It improves the ability to detect cancer and can minimize false alarms for patients by as much as 30 percent.”For women with dense breast tissue, women who have breast implants or who had prior biopsy or surgery, 3-D mammography can help with the examination of the breast.
The result is less need for recalls, fewer false-positives, fewer invasive testing procedures, and potentially earlier detection and treatment for breast cancer. According to the World Health Organization, one-third of breast cancer deaths could be decreased if detected and treated early. Worldwide, this means nearly 400,000 lives could be saved every year. In the U.S. 110 people die of breast cancer every day.
