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Breast Center of ARHSSeptember 30, 2015

Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) is excited to offer Hologic 3D Mammography for breast cancer screening. 3D mammography produces a three-dimensional view of the breast tissue that helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.

The Hologic 3D Mammography is located in The Breast Center of ARHS in the recently renovated Outpatient Imaging and Lab Center at 1200 State Farm Road in Boone. The grand opening for The Breast Center will take place on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 from 3 – 5 pm at the Center. Please stop by for a tour.

In the June 25, 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a groundbreaking study was published that found Hologic’s 3D mammography (breast tomosynthesis) screening technology significantly increased cancer detection while simultaneously reducing the number of false positives.

The study, “Breast Cancer Screening Using Tomosynthesis in Combination with Digital Mammography”, that reviewed close to half a million mammography exams, was led by Sarah M. Friedewald, MD of the Caldwell Breast Center, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. The researchers found that 3D mammography finds significantly more invasive or lethal cancers than a traditional mammogram. According to the study’s results, 3D mammography also reduces the number of women called back for unnecessary screenings due to false alarms. That reduces anxiety, as well as healthcare costs.

Significant findings include:

  • A 41% increase in the detection of invasive breast cancers. (p<.001)
  • A 29% increase in the detection of all breast cancers. (p<.001)
  • A 15% decrease in women recalled for additional imaging. (p<.001)
  • A 49% increase in Positive Predictive Value (PPV) for a recall. (p<.001)
  • A 21% increase in PPV for biopsy. (p<.001)
  • No significant change in the detection of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

“We believe Hologic 3D Mammography will benefit all screening and diagnostic mammography patients, and is especially valuable for women receiving a baseline screening, those who have dense breast tissue and/or women with a personal history of breast cancer,” said Beth Miller, Director of Imaging, Laboratory and Pathology Services for ARHS.

The Hologic 3D mammography screening experience is similar to a traditional mammogram. During a 3D mammography exam, multiple, low-dose images of the breast are acquired at different angles. These images are then used to produce a series of one-millimeter thick slices that can be viewed as a 3D reconstruction of the breast.

By offering women the latest and more accurate technology in mammography, ARHS expects to increase the number of area women who will be routinely screened. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Statistics indicate that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. If detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.

ARHS is committed to the fight against breast cancer. In offering Hologic 3D mammography, The Breast Center of ARHS located in the Outpatient Imaging & Lab Center provides the latest in imaging technology.

If you would like to schedule a mammogram, call (828) 268-9037. For answers to your questions about this important breast health procedure, talk to your primary care provider.



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