New mammography centre officially opens

Dr Rado shows the Minister for Health Mark Scotland how the mammography diagnostic equipment works.

Minister of Health Hon Mark Scotland officially opened  Chrissie Tomlinson Hospital’s new mammography centre on Thursday, 13 September.

The centre offers state-of-the-art digital mammography and Tomosynthesis equipment featuring an integrated an R2 Computer Assisted Diagnosis (CAD) workstation.  The good news for women is that the centre will afford them pain-free, 3D mammography.

Mr Scotland noted that the opening of the centre will allow women a greater opportunity to engage in their own healthcare by practising a healthy lifestyle, having annual check-ups and doing monthly self examinations.

He said that with the new equipment the numbers of breast cancer cases can be reduced significantly in the Cayman Islands.

“Regular mammograms can sometimes feel uncomfortable and it is known that some women avoid the screening frequency recommended by their doctors. A more comfortable alternative should mean more mammograms completed, more early cancers detected and treated and more deaths prevented,” he told the gathering.

“As a country, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our medical resources, and at only two weeks away from Breast Cancer awareness month in October, this occasion comes at the perfect time — not only to remind women to get a mammogram, but also to inform them about this new screening alternative,” he added.

The minister noted the project was part of the tremendous effort by the public and private sector for the provision of health care for a healthy nation.

Chrissie Tomlinson’s mammography centre features the most advanced machine available on the market for breast cancer screening.  Made by Hologic, the unique system offers 3D scanning of the breast instead of traditional 2D scanning. The award-winning equipment is the first of its kind to receive FDA approval.

According to mammography technology expert Dr Yaron Rado, the new technology can get the same and better information without the dreaded compression of the breast.

“There is no reason to postpone your mammograms due to pain anymore,” he said.

“Patients will also benefit from the computer-assisted diagnosis that comes with this new equipment, which works quite efficiently in detecting abnormalities,” said Dr Rado.