CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) in Hermiston recently invested in updating its mammography equipment to the new Selenia Dimensions Systems Hologic Genius 3D Mammography.
Known as the most advanced mammography exam available in health care today, the Genius 3D has received the endorsement by celebrity Broadway performer, Kristin Chenoweth, who is lending her voice to the importance of early breast cancer detection.
“When we were looking for a new mammography system, we knew we didn’t want to settle for the status quo,” said GSHCS Diagnostic Imaging Manager Robert Rose. “We wanted to provide peace-of-mind for our patients. This led us to search out the best possible solution for the women we serve in our community and the best resolution images available for our radiologists to use in diagnosing.”
GSHCS mammography technologists, Susan Ross and Amy Seavert, who had to take an eight-hour training course on how to conduct the new exam, are equally impressed.
Rather than just the standard 2D image that most radiologists are having to review today, Good Shepherd’s new system gives it a full 3D image with up to 60 images to review, so the radiologist can hone in on a suspected mass and determine if it truly is a mass, shadow, or superimposed tissue. This is especially beneficial for women with large and dense breasts.
The new technology has been shown in clinical trials to increase breast cancer detection by 41 percent, and at the same time reduce false positives by 40 percent, reducing the need for patients to come back for an additional screening and having to be exposed to more radiation.
Erna Bevington, a former employee of Family Health Associates in Hermiston, recently had a mammogram with the new technology.
“I had my first mammogram at age 40,” Bevington said. “It was a very unpleasant experience back then. I recently had my mammogram and was told about the new equipment when I made my appointment. This was such a different experience from my first. I once received a call back after my mammogram which made me very nervous. The clarity of the mammogram and the ability to see everything was amazing, and should reduce the call backs. Having worked in health care I always encourage women to have a mammogram on a regular basis. Breast cancer can strike at any age.”
The average exam only lasts about 15 minutes total, allowing women to have the exam quickly and get back to their daily activities. Women 40 to 44 and older should consider having an annual mammography exam.
The GSHCS Diagnostic Imaging Department will be hosting an open house event for community members to see the new technology for themselves on Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP at 541-667-3460.
Mammography screening exams can be scheduled by calling 541-667-3520.
