BCH wants 147 mammograms in six weeks
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| Boundary Community Hospital's state-of-the-art digital mammography system. |
That sets an ambitious goal of 147 mammograms by mid-November.
Based purely on numbers, if the one in eight average holds true, there is a possibility of detecting cancer in 18 people out of the 147 total mammograms. When breast cancer is detected early, there is a marked increase in the chance of treating it successfully.
With that in mind, Boundary Community Hospital has reduced the cost of a mammogram 25% for a limited time to create a “tipping point” for the women in our community to decide that now is the time to have this extremely important test performed.
Radiologic technologist Kathleen Howarth, a veteran of 27 years in the field, administers the mammograms at Boundary Community Hospital. She knows what she is doing and is very personable, making the procedure as comfortable as possible.
Many women are afraid it is painful. Each breast is compressed between two plastic plates, one at a time. There is enough pressure applied to flatten the breast as much as possible so the X-rays can penetrate all layers. The X-rays can detect more abnormalities because of the compression. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Is it extremely painful?
Most women would say no.
The breasts are more sensitive and tender around the time of menstruation, so schedule your exam accordingly.
You can blame the compression part of the exam on Raul Laborgne, a radiologist from Uruguay. He is the person who introduced his compression technique in 1949.
At that time, he had devised an apparatus that would squeeze the patient’s breast between a cone and a compression pad. Before placing his name on your “bad people of the world” list, consider that he is credited with saving 1.6 million lives with his compression work combined with studies of low radiation breast imaging.
His contributions increased the quality of the images, which improved the accuracy of detection and diagnosis. Early diagnosis of best cancer significantly improves survival rates.
Dr. Melendez, radiologist for Boundary Community Hospital, reads the mammograms. He is very highly respected in the field of radiologists. He examines the X-rays, looking for abnormalities.
The term “read” can be misleading.
There is no script that describes the state of the breast tissue. There is an image; the more trained a radiologist is, the better he can interpret the picture. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Melendez has trained others at the University of Utah.
Using the latest in digital technology, Boundary Community Hospital’s mammogram system is similar to a digital camera. There is no film to develop. The image is available instantly.
This is very handy.
If, for some reason, another view of the breast is necessary, the radiologic technologists can see it immediately and shoot another photo. The extremely high resolution of the digital image allows the image to be enlarged and magnified to a very high degree, without losing clarity and details.
This advantage of zooming in on potential problem areas deep in the tissue increases the ability to detect cancer.
Another advantage of the new digital mammography system is that the image is easy to store electronically.
The next time you have a mammogram, the radiologist displays the earlier mammogram alongside the new image, comparing one year to the next.
Differences between the previous mammogram and the current mammogram become obvious. It is best practice to have your mammogram at the same facility, year after year. If that is no longer convenient, it is best to access your old film for your new radiologist to have on file.
The digital mammography system also includes a computer generated read-out. The radiologist can compare with the computer to see if they both have reached the same conclusion.
The 25% savings on mammograms that Boundary Community Hospital is currently offering works out to be around $80. The hospital’s facility can handle between 32 and 40 exams per week.
All mammograms must be completed by November 16, 2012, to receive the 25% discount. The best thing to do is to call as quickly as possible to schedule the mammogram to ensure there is an available time slot for you.
Panhandle Health Clinic offers a voucher for both Susan G. Komen and Women’s Health Check.
Between those two programs, most age groups are covered. Both are tied to the patient’s income level. They are well worth checking into. The phone number for Panhandle Health District is (208) 267-5558.
To schedule your mammogram at Boundary Community Hospital call (208) 3141 ext. 4258.