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Aurora Memorial Hospital of BurlingtonNew digital mammography unitDigital mammography is the latest technology to help identify and detect breast cancer. Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington recently added digital mammography capability to its imaging services. The new digital mammography unit creates clearer images than film-based systems. Because the images are produced within seconds, there is no waiting for films to be developed, shortening the time it takes to complete a mammogram. With digital mammography, physicians can zoom in for close ups of specific areas and adjust the brightness. Being able to manipulate images is another benefit of the digital technology. “The benefits of digital mammography versus conventional mammography are quite striking,'' said Penny Gile, manager, imaging services, Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington. “Clearer images and more accurate diagnosis are the main benefits of this technology.'' Intervening earlyGile said since the implementation of the digital mammography unit in January, the hospital's radiologists are detecting more breast cancer in earlier stages with the digital technology. “The result of that allows us to intervene sooner rather than later,'' said Gile. “Anytime we can treat something sooner, that means a better outcome for the patient.'' Renee Savee, lead mammography technologist, imaging services, Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, performs a number of the digital mammography procedures. While the actual procedure does not differ much from conventional mammography, the time for the entire procedure is shorter, mainly due to the fact that the film-developing time is not part of the process. “It takes less time to generate digital images than conventional film mammography and that makes a real difference, in terms of actual time to obtain an image'' said Savee. “Because we can adjust the brightness and zoom in on areas of interest, there is less of a need for retakes. Patients appreciate that.'' Savee pointed out that the mammography technologists at Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington together have almost 70 years of experience in mammography. “We all agree that digital mammography is the greatest technological change we've seen that benefits patients,'' she added. Gile said research shows that digital mammography is especially beneficial for women:
In a 2005 study of 42,760 women conducted by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network, it was found that the cancers detected by digital mammography in premenopausal women under age 50 with dense breast tissue was more likely to be invasive, which is more serious than non-invasive cancer. How does digital mammography differ from standard mammography?In standard mammography, the images are recorded on film and viewed by the radiologist using a light box. The image is stored in a jacket in the hospital's archives. With digital mammography, the breast image is captured by a special
electronic x-ray detector that converts the image into a digital picture for
review on a computer monitor. Digital mammograms are stored on a computer.
The digital mammography unit was purchased through the generous support of the auxiliary at Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, the hospital's foundation board, and proceeds from the annual Crystal Ball event. What's next?To schedule an appointment for your annual mammogram at Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, please call 262-767-6440.
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