New Mammography Unit at BRMC

Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) has installed a new full-field digital mammography unit which provides the clearest diagnostic images available today in just a fourth of the time.

The Senographe Essential from GE Healthcare is the newest mammography unit available, offering optimal image quality and increased first-time accuracy, said Timothy Brown, BRMC’s Director of Clinical Ancillary Services.

“This full-field digital mammography unit can provide multiple images of the breast while lowering radiation exposure by 20 percent from a conventional mammography unit, and exam time is about a quarter of what an analog unit would take,” he said.

“Because resolution is better, we can detect smaller abnormalities. This means outcomes are better because we are able to find them at such an early stage,” Mr. Brown said.

Additionally, “We will be providing stereotactic biopsies. This is a less-invasive procedure performed in the mammography suite. It involves a very small and precise incision that’s done with the guidance of the new unit’s digital images which are larger and easier to interpret,” he said.

Another advantage of the new equipment is its ergonomic design, which makes it more comfortable for women of any size to undergo testing.

BRMC can now provide the most accurate mammography images available with this full-field mammography unit, Mr. Brown said.

“This new mammography unit will allow us to provide the most advanced diagnostic imaging to our patients for the next five years or more,” Mr. Brown said.

“BRMC’s goal is to provide the latest medical technology available to ensure the most accurate diagnoses and best possible outcomes for all of our patients,” said David Kobis, BRMC’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We’re extremely pleased that this mammography unit will be an invaluable diagnostic tool for women in our region for years to come.”

For more information about mammograms, go online at www.brmc.com and click on the MedlinePlus icon. MedlinePlus is a free online healthcare information service provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital are members of Upper Allegheny Health System.

Pictured, from left, Natalie Mawn, RT, R, CT, M, lead MRI technologist, and Laura Swanson, RT, R, M., radiographer III, are shown with the new full-field digital mammography unit that’s been installed and now fully operational at Bradford Regional Medical Center. The large and private mammography suite also has undergone an updated look, giving it a more spa-like appearance with oak woodwork, olive-colored walls and plush furniture.
(Photo courtesy of BRMC)