Every six months, Jeannie Hobbins has either 3D screening mammograms or contrast-enhanced MRIs.
“I’ve been very lucky,” says the mother of two. “I’ve had a lot of scares.”
At 39, she has already been diagnosed with dense breast tissue and atypical cells in her right breast, underwent breast surgery and has a family history of breast cancer.
“It’s a stressful thing when I go in for testing,” she says. “The burden is so heavy, and I’m a patient with questionable things and concerns.”
To provide the best care possible, the Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare System offer 3D mammography with same-day appointments and, in most cases, same-day results. The centers have earned national accreditations for breast imaging, mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound guided breast biopsy.
The centers also offer abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (fast breast MRI) and InveniaTM ABUS 2.0 (Automated Breast Ultrasound System)/ These advanced imaging technologies aim to better detect cancer through dense breast tissue.
“Our strongest weapon against breast cancer is early detection,” says Mary Nicholson, MD, medical director of Community Hospital Women’s Diagnostic Center in Munster and regional director of Breast Imaging Services for Community Healthcare System. “By offering fast breast MRI and ABUS in addition to mammography for patients with dense breast tissue, we anticipate improving detection for small cancers that may not be seen on a mammogram alone in these women.”
Fast breast MRI
Fast breast MRI is a low-cost, self-pay supplemental service for women with dense breast tissue. Dense breast reduce the ability of a mammogram to detect some breast cancer. The procedure has a higher cancer detection rate than 3D mammogram screening alone and may find cancer at an earlier stage.
Like conventional MRI, fast breast MRI is a contrast-enhanced breast MRI that uses the same equipment. Unlike conventional MRI, which takes 45 minutes, fast breast is a 10-minute procedure.
Over the summer, Hobbins had some symptoms that caused additional concern, and it was suggested she undergo fast breast MRI because of her elevated risk factors.
“I was really worried and wanted something cost effective because I was paying out of pocket,” she said. “Sometimes staying still for that long during an MRI makes me even more anxious. It can be nerve-wracking,” she says. “With the fast breast MRI, it was just as effective but done quickly, and I feel confident the radiologists got the images they needed. Everyone at the Women’s Diagnostic Center helped ease the worry with my journey and that provided such peace of mind.”
ABUS
ABUS is clinically proven to increase cancer detection in dense breast tissue by 35.7 percent. Dense breast tissue not only increases the risk of breast cancer by four to six times, it also makes cancer more difficult to detect when using mammography alone.
“Community Healthcare System’s Women’s Diagnostic Centers are always aiming, in terms of new technologies, to be ahead of the curve,” says Janushi Dalal, MD, fellowship-trained breast radiologist. “ABUS complements our comprehensive breast screening program and demonstrates a commitment to investing in patient care.”
An ABUS screening exam, in addition to a traditional mammogram, helps create a more complete evaluation of dense breast tissue. The exam is non-invasive and provides 3D ultrasound images.
Some women are more likely to have dense breasts, such as those who:
- are premenopausal
- use postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- have a lower body mass index (BMI)
Women less likely to have dense breasts are those who:
- have gone through menopause\
- have had children
- use the hormonal therapy like tamoxifen, either to lower breast cancer risk or to treat breast cancer; aromatase inhibitors, which are another type of hormonal therapy, may also decrease breast density, but the impact does not seem to be as much
Only a mammogram can show whether a patient has dense breasts. The American Cancer Society recommends that women receive yearly mammograms beginning at age 40. Women who have been informed they have dense breast tissue should talk with their primary care provider about their risk and consider additional screening.
“Community Healthcare System has always generously supported the advancement of excellent breast care for its patients,” Nicholson says. “The addition of these two new technologies within the healthcare system’s Women’s Diagnostic Centers is another one of its many ways to help as many women as possible optimize their breast health.”
For more information about the Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare System, visit COMHS.org/WDC or to make an appointment, call 219-703-2032.
