LIHU‘E — In medicine, better technology and the earliest possible detection of issues is critical for improving patient care. Wilcox Memorial Hospital recently invested in the latest breast cancer detection technology with the purchase of equipment to provide breast tomosynthesis.
LIHU‘E — In medicine, better technology and the earliest possible detection of issues is critical for improving patient care.
Wilcox Memorial Hospital recently invested in the latest breast cancer detection technology with the purchase of equipment to provide breast tomosynthesis.
“It gives people peace of mind,” said Dr. Mary Mackiernan, a diagnostic radiologist at Wilcox of the 3D mammography technology. “There’s nothing to hide.”
Tomosynthesis offers a three-dimensional image of the breast, enabling earlier cancer screening and detection, according to Mackiernan.
By providing a clearer, more accurate breast view, the machine allows doctors to pinpoint the shape, size and location of any abnormalities, while conventional mammography produces a single, flattened image of the breast, making it difficult to detect small cancers.
“Occasionally, we’ll find something we didn’t expect,” Mackiernan said.
She said their team wants to make very sure that a reading is negative so that patients can spend less time worrying.
By manipulating the images to see areas of concern from all angles, radiologists are able to provide better detection, have fewer false positive results, callbacks, unnecessary biopsies or additional tests.
“Another way to think about this is like a loaf of bread,” said Dr. Bryan Gushiken, lead breast radiologist at Kapi‘olani Women’s Center in Honolulu in an article from Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “If you saw something on a loaf, you could inspect each individual slice to more fully understand what you are looking at.”
But, said Mackiernan, in addition to looking closely at an image of breast tissue, often it helps to sit back and see a more comprehensive view. Tomosynthesis allows radiologists the ability to do both with greater clarity.
Wilcox now offers both screening and diagnostic mammograms, Mackiernan said. A screening mammogram covers patients with no symptoms, lumps or irregularity, while a diagnostic mammogram is done if there is a lump, bloody discharge from the nipple, lymph node issues or puckering skin.
With the diagnostic mammograms, Mackiernan said her staff “perseveres until we know why (the symptom) is there. If we know something is there, we keep looking until it clears up.”
The technology can also be used to detect breast cancer in men. “All men get tomosynthesis,” said Mackiernan, adding that male patients receive diagnostic mammograms.
According to Wilcox staff, three confirmed cancers have been diagnosed since August using the new technology — cancers that likely would have gone undetected until much later.
“At Wilcox, we recognize the importance of early detection,” said Kathy Clark, president and CEO of Wilcox Memorial Hospital in an email.
Clark added that more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.
“Early detection and treatment offer a better chance of survival than ever before,” she said. “That is why we are so proud to bring the first 3D mammography machine to the island of Kaua‘i.”
Wilcox Health also offers a High Risk Breast Program, which offers the 3D mammography as well as other services.
The HRBP is a comprehensive program designed to provide services for the prevention and early detection of breast cancer for women who are at an increased risk for development of the disease, according to a release.
A multifaceted approach includes radiological services, physician and nursing services, genetic counseling and testing, nutritional counseling, psychological services, patient education and support services, and access to research and clinical trials – all in one convenient location.
“Early detection is still your best bet,” Mackiernan said of diagnosing breast cancer.
• Laurie Cicotello, business writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or business@thegardenisland.com
