A clearer look through digital mammography

Health Resources:

What to Know About Digital Mammography

Breast Health Getting regular checkups and performing breast self-exams are two important ways to keep your breasts healthy.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women (other than skin cancer). This short assessment will help you determine if you have major risk factors for breast cancer.

Laredo Medical Center believes women deserve a better answer to their breast exam, and therefore recently invested almost $700,000 in the latest digital mammography.

Digital mammography uses essentially the same mammography system as conventional mammography, but the system is equipped with a digital receptor and a computer instead of a film cassette. It also uses less radiation.

“A big difference is that we can see the image right away rather than having to process a piece of film that can take several minutes,” said David Claudio, Radiology Director at Laredo Medical Center.

EXAMS ARE CLEARER, FASTER AND MORE COMFORTABLE

With digital mammography, the magnification, orientation, brightness, and contrast of the image may also be changed after the exam is complete to help the radiologist more clearly see certain areas. In addition, the computer-aided detection helps identify areas of high suspicion.

“You can compare digital mammography to a high definition television versus a regular television,” explained Claudio. “The difference in what the radiologist will see is night and day. Being able to manipulate the contrast will offer a much better picture of the breast, something we couldn’t do with film.”

PATIENT BENEFITS

Because digital mammography is a little more sensitive than film-screen mammography, studies have shown digital mammograms are:

• Exams can take less than half the time of traditional film-based mammograms
• Better for women who have dense breast tissue
• Women under the age of 50 or are pre-menopausal
• Less radiation (Laredo Medical Center offers the lowest amount of radiation found in today’s market)

For Added Convenience

CERTIFIED DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY STAFF

Hologic Inc. specialists were also on hand for 7 days on two separate occasions providing training to each mammography technologist at LMC prior to performing any mammograms as required by MQSA. Each technologist is now certified to perform digital mammograms on women.

Recently, the unit underwent inspection by the state and passed with zero deficiencies. The facility is accredited by American College of Radiology (ACR)

TRANSMITTED FASTER AND STORED SAFELY

Digital mammography also improves image storage and transmission. In standard mammography, images are recorded on film using an x-ray cassette. The film is then stored in a jacket in the facility’s archives. With digital mammography, the breast image is converted into a digital picture for review on a computer monitor, and then stored in the computer. This image can then be sent quickly electronically to the patient’s primary care physician or OB/GYN.

FOR ADDED CONVENIENCE

Women can find digital mammography at:

• Main Hospital, 1700 E. Saunders St.
• LMC North, 7210 McPherson
• LMC South, 4151 Bob Bullock Lp.

“Each of these locations include the Selenia® digital mammography systems from Hologic, Inc.,” continued Claudio. “Hologic, Inc. is a leader in developing and manufacturing systems dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women throughout the world.”

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

Women can make an appointment today by calling Central Scheduling at (956) 796-3729. A referral from a physician is required for all digital mammograms.