NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL PROVIDING DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY
Women who undergo routine mammograms at Northside Hospital now have the latest diagnostic technology available to them, digital mammography. Selenia™ digital mammography from Hologic® has been added to the hospital’s comprehensive diagnostic services dedicated to women and the early detection of breast cancer.
Northside Hospital is the leader in the fight against breast cancer, diagnosing and treating more cases of the disease than any other hospital in Georgia. Every year, Northside performs nearly 80,000 mammograms through outpatient screenings, diagnostic exams and ScreenAtlanta, the hospital’s mobile mammography van. Northside Hospital is highly respected in the community for its state-of-the-art imaging services and has ranked number one for the past four years by metro Atlanta consumers in the National Research Corporation’s annual Healthcare Market Guide study. Now, Northside offers digital mammography at its imaging centers in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Dawsonville, Johns Creek and Woodstock.
Film-screen mammography has been the gold standard of breast imaging for decades. Studies have shown a decrease in breast cancer deaths in more than 60 percent of women who receive regular mammograms. Digital mammography is the latest advance in a fight against breast cancer.
“Digital mammography still uses compression and x-rays to obtain images, just as film-screen mammography does, but patients often notice shorter exam times,” says Dr. Lynn Baxter, director of breast imaging at Northside Hospital.
Additionally, the radiologists can magnify images on a computer screen and adjust brightness and contrast, making it easier, in some cases, to tell normal tissue from abnormal tissue. Recent studies have shown a slight benefit in using digital mammography for women with dense breasts or women under the age of 50.
Digital mammography also can be combined with other technologies such as Computer-Aided Detection (CAD). CAD, which can be combined with digital and film-screen mammography, provides a “second set of eyes” to radiologists by flagging areas of potential concern on the mammogram to make sure that the radiologists see them. Some recent studies have shown CAD to improve the detection of breast cancer. Northside offers CAD technology at each of its imaging centers.
One in eight women will get breast cancer sometime during her lifetime. Early detection is the best protection. Beginning at age 40, women should schedule annual mammograms.
For more information about Northside Hospital’s imaging services, or to schedule a mammogram, call (404) 851-6577.
