Healthy Living Newsletter
Truly Digital
Mercy Hospital Offers the Most Advanced Digital Mammography System in Port Huron
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Mercy Hospital is pleased to announce the availability of the most advanced digital mammography system in Port Huron.
Beginning October 2, the Mercy Women’s Health Center will offer all patients access to digital mammography in newly renovated mammography suites.
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| Some of the benefits of Mercy Hospital’s advanced digital mammography system include increased breast comfort, reduced radiation and increased detection capabilities. |
Digital mammography will also be available at Mercy Health Center in Fort Gratiot, beginning October 6.
To provide patients with optimal breast imaging and comfort with lower x-ray dosage, Mercy will launch MAMMOMAT Novations digital mammography system from Seimens Medical Solutions.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today. If detected early, the five-year survival rate for this disease exceeds 95 percent.
Better Diagnostics
Mercy Hospital’s new digital mammography system enables physicians and clinicians to better pinpoint disease and plan treatment. The system also meets the demands of advanced mammography practices at Mercy by providing digital screening and diagnostic exams.
“Mercy Hospital has gone direct to digital with its advanced digital mammography service,” explains Amy Mallory, RT (R) (M), Lead Mammography Technician at Mercy Women’s Health Center. “Unlike other services, as a woman’s breast is x-rayed, the images go directly into a highly advanced computer system. The images are then sent electronically to radiologists for review, bringing filmless technology to mammography.
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| Mercy Hospital’s advanced digital mammography system provides for mammography images to go direct to digital. This reduces the possibility of being asked to return for additional mammograms and provides the enhanced images your physician needs to ensure proper screening. |
Enhanced Patient Care
“This will reduce wait time for patients and the need for callbacks,” continues Amy. “The technicians can evaluate the quality of the mammogram as it takes place. This ensures that the images maintain their clarity, sharpness and position. Mammograms taken to film run the risk of imperfections, or not capturing the appropriate area.”
Mercy Hospital’s new system offers a number of additional benefits to patients, including:
- lower radiation — the tube technology reduces radiation dose by more than 50 percent
- increased breast comfort — flexible paddles and patented techniques sense breast thickness for a more comfortable compression
- Increased detection — helps increase cancer detection rates with computer assisted diagnosis for small and low contrast objects
“In short, Mercy’s new mammography system will help Mercy Hospital provide Blue Water and Thumb area patients with the best possible exam,” explains Daniel Shogren, DO, Chief Radiologist at Mercy Hospital. “In addition to increased diagnostic capabilities, the new system is also designed to utilize a picture archiving communications system (PACS), and computer aided detection (CAD).
“This means that patient images are maintained on a computer and can be accessed by all physicians reviewing the film or participating in a multidisciplinary approach to patient care,” continues Dr. Shogren.
Commitment to Excellence
“We are pleased to offer this advanced service in Port Huron and beyond,” comments Peter Karadjoff, Mercy Hospital President and CEO. “No better system exists in Port Huron. This project is a joint program of the Mercy Cancer Network, a service of Trinity Health of Novi, MI.
“Affiliation with the Mercy Cancer Network across the state of Michigan offers many benefits,” continues Peter. “In addition to the three digital mammography machines in our community, the Mercy Cancer Network will install digital mammography equipment at all its hospitals in Michigan.”
“Mammography is an important tool in breast cancer detection,” concludes Dr. Shogren. “Traditional mammography has been instrumental in the diagnosis and treatment planning of cancer. Digital mammography advances the practice one step further. It has been heralded for its ability to read breast tissue that is more dense in nature. By adding the ability to go direct to computer, patients can be assured the most comprehensive image for expert review.”
To find out more about Mercy Hospital’s advanced digital mammography system, please call (810) 985-1856. Appointments for the new digital mammography are also being accepted. To make your appointment, call (810) 985-1455.
To find out more go to the Mercy Regional Cancer Center section of this website.
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