KEMH Clients Benefit from Digital Mammogram Equipment

Bermuda Hospitals Board today announces the successful go-live of its new digital mammogram equipment, the GE Healthcare Senographe Digital Mammography System, in its Mammography Department at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

The machine is equipped to provide stereotactic biopsies, which are the next diagnostic step following a suspicious mammogram. KEMH is the only Mammography Department in Bermuda to offer these biopsies. The equipment also has the largest field of view currently available, which can be extremely helpful for precision imaging of patients with diverse shapes and sizes.

In Bermuda, in 2009, breast cancer was the most commonly registered type of cancer in women. In fact, about 34% of all newly-diagnosed cancers were breast cases last year, and it was the third highest cause of death from cancer.

Senior Imaginag Technologist in Mammography, Terricca Glasford comments: “As a woman, your risk of breast cancer increases as you get older, so having an annual mammogram once you turn 40 is one of the best chances you can give yourself of catching breast cancer early. It should be part of your annual wellness check, just like a pap test for cervical cancer. We do all we can to make sure the mammogram is as comfortable as possible and as this equipment is faster, the test takes as little as half the time of film. We are excited because this new digital technology will provide greater accuracy and increased ease of use for our patients, and will help us save lives.”

“With our new equipment, the digital image is ready to read almost immediately, helping us radiologists provide results much faster than when using film,” says Dr Daniel Stovell, Chief of Radiology. “Additionally, we are the only mammography service on island that has a digital machine equipped with a Stereotactic Interventional device for biopsies. Outstanding image quality is critical to breast biopsy procedures and the Senographe Essential Interventional system gives us excellent visibility for clinical confidence. It is an efficient and effective way to provide an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible.”

The installation of this equipment means the entire Diagnostic Imaging Department at KEMH is now digital.

Renee Butterfield, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging adds: “I am extremely pleased that our entire Diagnostic Imaging Department is now digital. Our new equipment has clear benefits to our mammography patients, which make this an extremely exciting development for us. Providing outstanding diagnostic equipment for patients is a vital step to good preventive health, and one we take very seriously.”

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