June 01, 2007
Genesis & Radiology Group Imaging Center Purchase Digital Mammography System
Latest breast cancer screening tool to be installed in October
DAVENPORT, IOWA - Genesis Health System and Radiology Group Imaging Center, LLC have purchased the most advanced digital mammography technology available and will offer it to Quad-Cities women later this year.
In March, Genesis and Radiology Group Imaging Center announced they would introduce digital mammography to the Quad Cities. The new technology will allow for earlier detection of breast cancer for younger women and women whose traditional mammograms have been difficult to interpret.
Genesis and Radiology Group Imaging Center will install a total of seven Selenia™ digital mammography units, made by Hologic®.
Genesis, which will become the first Quad Cities health system to offer digital mammography, will have a total of five machines at the Center for Breast Health and its other convenient access locations: the Genesis Imaging Center in Bettendorf; Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt; and, Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus.
Radiology Group will have two digital mammography units at its Davenport imaging facility.
“Hologic plans to install the technology at seven locations in October, which just happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Rob Nelson, M.D., who is vice president of Clinical Services for Genesis Medical Center, Davenport.
“With digital mammography, we can provide our patients the highest quality of care in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s survival. If found early, the five-year survival rate is 97 percent. We expect this technology to make a lifesaving difference.”
Women who have had a film mammogram will find the digital test itself pretty much the same. Both use x-ray to generate images and require the brief discomfort of having their breast compressed.
But it’s the image quality produced by digital machines and the ability to manipulate them for better viewing that gives digital mammography the proven advantage – particularly in those women who are under 50; who have dense breasts; or who are pre-menopausal.
For many, digital is better
“The radiologist can view and manipulate the images on high-resolution computer monitors that enhance visualization of the breast tissue,” said Robert Hartung, M.D., of Radiology Group. “We can magnify the images; increase or decrease the contrast; and invert the black and white values while reading the images. We can zoom in on specific areas to help detect small calcifications, masses and other changes that may be signs of early cancer.”
The Selenia system uses a special detector to capture and convert x-ray energy into a digital image. This technology improves the sharpness of the images by completely eliminating the image-degrading effects of light diffusion that results from indirect technology. The direct capture technology offers improved visibility of the breast, particularly near the skin line, the chest wall and in women with dense breast tissue.
The system also has Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) that provides a “second read” of the mammogram by a computer.
When activated, it flags abnormalities to help the radiologist detect early breast cancer. In essence, it’s a second set of eyes to support and enhance the radiologist’s judgment.
Digital mammography offers a number of other practical advantages and patient conveniences as well. Once the technology arrives, doctors will interpret mammograms off of computers – not film. There will be no film to develop, store and transport. Electronic images will appear almost instantly and be stored in the computer.
“Because there is no waiting for film to be developed, it can reduce the time patients spend in the breast center, as well as reduce the need for repeat exams due to under or over-exposure,” Dr. Nelson said. “Digital images are easily stored and transferred electronically, eliminating the dependency on one set of original films, which can be misfiled or lost in transit.”
Easier image transfer
The cooperative effort between Genesis and Radiology Group represents nearly a $3.5 million investment.
Plans include the installation of a fiber-optic cable linking the existing imaging archives and new mammography archives of Genesis Medical Center and the Radiology Group Imaging Center on 53rd Street in Davenport. The private and totally secure link will allow for speedy and efficient transfer of large, digital image sets and bring more ready access to all patient images at both facilities.
Although the digital mammography units will be installed later this year, women should not wait for the technology’s arrival if they are due for a mammogram.
“We urge patients to keep on schedule with their yearly mammograms and not postpone their mammograms in anticipation of the new technology,” Dr. Nelson said. “Whether digital or film, mammography remains a highly effective tool in detecting breast cancer.”
Screening mammography is offered throughout the Genesis system of care at the Center for Breast Health and its convenient access points at the Genesis Imaging Center in Bettendorf and the Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt and Illini hospital campuses. It’s also offered at Radiology Group Imaging Center in Davenport.
At these locations, women receive state-of-the- art diagnostic technology and the expertise of breast health specialists who work as a team with the treatment professionals at the Center for Breast Health. The center opened in 1994 on the East Rusholme Street campus in Davenport. Radiology Group Imaging Center opened its 53rd Street office in 1999.
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