PINEHURST—FirstHealth of the Carolinas is now offering 3D digital mammography (breast tomosynthesis) to patients in the Sandhills region. The advanced technology is now available at Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst and FirstHealth Lee Campus in Sanford.
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in every eight women in the United States. As with most cancers, the best way to fight breast cancer is to find it early. FirstHealth is pleased to give patients access to the latest technology to aid in the early detection of breast cancer.
A conventional mammogram creates a two-dimensional image of the breast from two X-ray images of each breast. By providing 3-D images of the breast, doctors have a clearer view through overlapping breast tissue, which results in a more detailed picture than traditional mammograms, making breast abnormalities easier to see, even in dense tissue.
“Breast tomosynthesis can improve our ability to detect potential breast cancers by helping to pinpoint the size, shape and location of abnormalities, often earlier than with traditional mammography,” said Stewart Rasmussen, M.D., a fellowship-trained radiologist with FirstHealth of the Carolinas. “This helps radiologists distinguish harmless structures from tumors, leading to fewer false positives, fewer call-backs and less anxiety for women. This is especially helpful in women with dense breast tissue.”
From the patient’s perspective, very little is different during the actual procedure of a 3D mammogram compared to a 2D mammogram. Most women will experience a similar scan time, but the main difference lies in the superior imaging.
“We are excited to offer wide-angle tomosynthesis technology at FirstHealth,” said Lisa Hinesley, RTR, assistant director, diagnostic imaging at FirstHealth. “We chose Siemens MAMMOMAT Revelation because the wide-angle technology makes it easier to find even the smallest cancers earlier with greater accuracy. The MAMMOMAT Revelation delivers a better 3D image separation of the different tissue layers. Each image of the tissue layer is like a page in a book. Once assembled, the pages reveal a complete story.”
To make an appointment, or for more information about imaging services at FirstHealth, call (866) 415-2778 or visit www.firsthealth.org/imaging.
