A little over a year ago, Memorial Regional Hospital’s Women’s Imaging Center was among 15 facilities across the country engaged in a study of Tomosynthesis, a revolutionary 3-dimensional breast cancer detection technology system that was being touted as the next frontier in mammography. Studies later showed that 3D Tomosynthesis mammography could reduce the call back rate for suspicious routine mammogram by 30%, but still detect as many, or slightly more, cancers.Now approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), breast radiologists at Memorial Regional Hospital are offering Tomosynthesis, which looks similar to a standard mammography machine and uses X-ray just like the standard 2-D digital mammography. However, 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.
The result is less need for recalls, fewer invasive testing procedures, and potentially earlier detection and treatment for breast cancer. The earlier a breast cancer is detected, the better chance a woman has in beating the disease. The discovery stage of the disease begins with self-examination and mammography. Therefore, it’s important to develop and utilize the best possible form of imaging.
For women with dense breast tissue, 3-D mammography can help with the examination of the breast. The best analogy that comes to mind is that we’re looking for a polar bear in a snow storm. It’s more difficult to detect a suspicious area. The addition of Tomosynthesis (3-D mammography) lets us see through the storm clearer. It improves the ability to detect cancer and can minimize false alarms for patients.
Memorial Regional Hospital was among 16 health facilities throughout the United States to participate in a Harvard University-led trial that began in February 2010 and ended February 11, 2011 when the FDA announced approval. Tomosynthesis was already approved for use in the Netherlands after a 1,200-women study was concluded at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, in the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital in Amsterdam.
Since September, patients at Memorial Regional Hospital have been receiving Tomosynthesis. Women who need routine screening mammography or more detailed diagnostic mammography are eligible to use Tomosynthesis. In addition, women who have breast implants or who had prior biopsy or surgery can also be evaluated with Tomosynthesis mammography.
