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San Ramon Regional Medical Center has received an upgrade to its oncology department with the recent inclusion of a new 3D mammography program for breast cancer screenings.
The 3D mammography screenings, also referred to as breast tomosynthesis, are supposed to give doctors a more accurate view and diagnosis for all breast types.
“We are thrilled to offer this advanced technology that improves breast cancer detection rates and reduces the number of false positives,” said Ann Lucena, CEO of San Ramon Regional Medical Center. “The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. We encourage every woman to get routine screenings in order to detect and treat cancers as early as possible.”
A relatively new breast imaging procedure — approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011 — 3D mammography screenings have a 40% higher cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography.
The 3D screening process operates in a similar way as a traditional 2D mammogram. During the 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 are reconstructed to show a 3D rendering of the breast, hospital officials say.
Hospital officials also claim that the new machine is designed to provide the patient with a physically more comfortable testing process.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women in the United States, after lung cancer.
If detected early the five year survival rate for people with breast cancer is 90%, and ten year survival rate is 83%. In recent years survival rates have increased, but are 10% lower for black women than white.
“Our new system offers exceptionally sharp breast images and an advanced design providing more patient comfort. We are thrilled to offer this technology to our patients and community,” Tenet Healthcare communications manager Krista Deans said.
