PARIS, TN – Having just wrapped up Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the imaging team at Henry County Medical Center was aided by the latest technology to help provide the most thorough mammograms possible – Hologic’s Dimensions 3D or Tomographic mammography system.

Purchased last year, the new system is designed to provide higher quality 3D™ images for radiologists, a more comfortable mammography experience for patients and enhanced workflow for technologists. HCMC’s new 3Dimensions™ mammography system is more accurate than conventional 2D mammograms, detecting 20%-65% more invasive breast cancers. Breakthrough improvements transform the patient experience without compromising speed or accuracy.

“We are always adding new technology to be able to provide the most accurate images possible, and ensure that our patients can get everything they need right here at home and not have to travel to bigger cities,” said HCMC Imaging Director Joe Gwaltney.

Digital breast tomosynthesis (tomo), also known as 3D mammography, is a revolutionary new screening and diagnostic breast imaging tool to improve the early detection of breast cancer. During the 3D part of the exam, an x-ray arm sweeps over the breast, taking multiple images in seconds. Images are displayed as a series of thin slices that can be viewed by our radiologists as individual images or in a dynamic interactive animation.

Traditional digital mammography takes two-dimensional pictures of the breast and is still one of the most advanced tools available for detecting breast abnormalities. Since there could be a significant amount of overlapping tissue in 2D images, this results in difficulty differentiating a real lesion from normal overlapping tissue. Rather than viewing the breast tissue in 2D images, our radiologists can examine the tissue one thin layer at a time, in a sense traveling through the structure of the breast like flipping pages of a book. Fine details are more visible and are less likely to be hidden by overlapping tissue. Not all patients need 3D Mammography, so they must meet certain criteria in order to have this test.

Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month is over, HCMC Diagnostic Center has extended its Thankful, Grateful, and Blessed promotion to offer a free gift to women receiving a mammogram during the month of November as well.

Gwaltney stressed that women – especially those between ages 40-55 – should have annual mammograms as prescribed by their physicians. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Yearly mammography screenings and monthly breast self-exams are the best early detection tools. The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 and older get a mammogram every year.

The Henry County Diagnostic Center is a 10,000 square foot facility which integrates state-of-the-art technology with convenience, comfort and communication to ensure that patients have the best experience possible. This technically advanced Imaging facility is a place where our exceptional Radiologists read images from the most advanced digital imaging equipment available. This means that images are viewed electronically rather than on traditional film. Our Center is a Diagnostic Center of Excellence and we offer a specialized women’s imaging area with the following services:

Mammography
Diagnostic Mammography
Screening Mammography
3D Tomosynthesis
Breast Ultrasound
CAD: Computer-aided
Bone Densitometry Detection

Women who have gotten off schedule and would like to have a mammogram can notify their provider’s office to submit an order to the scheduling department at HCMC at (731) 644-8466, option 1.

Located in Paris, TN, Henry County Medical Center is a progressive, integrated healthcare organization committed to serving the healthcare needs of Henry County and the adjoining region. Including a 142-bed hospital and other facilities, the medical center provides a variety of outpatient services, as well as inpatient care. Henry County Medical Center is a county-owned and operated nonprofit in. For more information: www.hcmc-tn.org