News

Beebe Medical Center offers Digital Mammography at Four Locations

08/21/09

To improve the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, Beebe Medical Center is offing digital mammography services at four convenient locations in eastern Sussex County.

The services is located at Beebe Medical Center's main location on Savannah Road in Lewes, at Beebe Health Campus on John J. Williams Highway (Route 24) in Rehoboth Beach, at Beebe Imaging at Georgetown Professional Park on Office Circle just off Route 113 in Georgetown, and at the Beebe Imaging center in Creekside Plaza, on Route 26 in Millville.

Digital mammography gives us one more tool to help us in our battle against breast cancer, says Beebe Medical Center radiologist Ellen Bahtiarian, MD. By offering this imaging technology in locations easily accessible to our growing population, we hope that women decide to get their annual mammograms.

While digital mammography is similar to traditional film mammography in many ways, it has advantages. Since there is no waiting for film to be developed, images are immediately available for review by the technologist. Images rarely need to be repeated for quality issues. For patients this means that they spend less time in the exam room. For radiologists, it means an image that can be easily viewed and analyzed, as well as shared with other physicians and diagnosticians electronically.

Dr. Bahtiarian says that she enjoys working with the digital technology because she can manipulate the images, just as she might do with a personal digital camera.

I can adjust the image, making it darker or brighter, or even larger so that it is easier to see subtle differences in the tissue, she explains. The images can be stored in the computer so that you always have them. They are never lost. And because they are electronic, they can be placed on a digital imaging network for others (physicians) to view.

The technology also allows the radiologist to magnify images that might otherwise be difficult to view, as well as to increase the contrast when imaging dense tissue. This option is especially important because dense breast tissue and breast cancer can have similar density on a mammogram.

Janete Mills, MD, a radiation oncologist at Beebe Medical Center's Tunnell Cancer Center, says the technology is one more tool to support the Beebe Medical Center medical team diagnose and treat breast cancer.

It allows our multi-disciplinary team at Beebe Medical Center another opportunity to work together in our effort to treat our patients, she says, explaining that the medical center's oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other medical professionals in the organization already work closely when diagnosing and treating cancer patients.

The Beebe Medical Center Auxiliary has supported the hospital in its decision to invest in digital mammography by recently presenting the hospital with $275,000 to purchase one of the machines.

This is truly an important technology for Beebe Medical Center and we are committed to supporting the medical center in its efforts to bring quality healthcare to our community, said Betty Surbaugh, Auxiliary President.

Both Dr. Mills and Dr. Bahtiarian urge women who are 40 years old or older, or who are at high risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, to get annual mammograms.

Don't skip even one year, Dr. Bahtiarian says. Regular mammograms are critically important so that we can catch cancer in the earliest possible stage.

Appointments can be made by telephoning the Beebe Medical Center Radiology Scheduling Department at (302) 645-3278. A physician's referral is required.


Facts about Mammography:
" According to a government trial, digital mammography was significantly better than film mammography in screening women who were under age 50, or women of any age who had very dense breasts.
" Digital mammography allows improvement in image storage and transmission because images can be stored and sent electronically.
" Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1990, and these decreases are believed to be the result, in part, or earlier detection and improved treatment.

National Cancer Institute

Facts about Breast Cancer

Not counting some kinds of skin cancer, breast cancer in the United States is
" The most common cancer in women, no matter your race or ethnicity.
" The most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women.
" The second most common cause of death from cancer among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.
" In 2005 (the most recent year numbers are available):
o 186,467 women and 1,764 men developed breast cancer.
o 41,116 women and 375 men died from breast cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


The American Cancer Society recommends these screening guidelines for breast cancer
" Yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as women are in good health
" Breast self-exam is an important option for women starting in their 20s as they should know how their breasts normally feel so that they can report any changes to their health care providers
" Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a periodic (regular) health exam by a health professional, preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
American Cancer Society

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org