Shadron Hospital, home of 3D mammograms | News

Jody Danner, director of the Department of Radiology, Shadron Community Hospital and Medical Services, said the hospital uses 3D mammogram equipment for screening and diagnosis. The department can also use ultrasound.

Dannar said the old mammogram device is two-dimensional and provides only flat images, while the 3D device provides a sweep image of the breast. This provides a sweep image containing a series of millimeter-thick images that the radiologist can see through. Therefore, if a person’s chest is 6 centimeters thick, the machine will produce 60 images. 3D machines also have this feature, so flat images aren’t lost either.

Dannar compared the difference in mammogram devices to taking pictures of apples. Even if you take a picture without cutting the fruit, you cannot see the seeds inside. “What this does is put the apple in a millimeter-thick slice so that you can see under the seeds and then return to normal again. It gives a more diagnostic appearance of the udder. In addition, she says passing through different thicknesses helps determine if the spots are areas of interest or simply multiple layers of tissue above each other. I did.

When it comes to ultrasound, Dannar felt a lump and said patients under the age of 35 went directly to ultrasound. If you are over 35, you will receive a mammogram first. She explained that patients under the age of 35 could not get a mammogram. This is because at that age, the breast tissue is much denser and constantly changing.

Ultrasound added by Dannar is often used to distinguish between cystic and solid regions. Patients with fibrotic disease have cysts in their breasts that are filled with benign fluid.

The age line has nothing to do with whether a person is susceptible to breast cancer, Danner said, but added that the rate of diagnosis increases with age. Annual screening is recommended for people over the age of 40, but Dannar recommends checking with insurance to determine if such screening is covered.

Self-breast examinations are recommended after age 25, and annual doctor examinations are also recommended, Dunner said. Shadron Community Hospital carries out about 900 mammograms each year, Dunner said. Last year, there were 800 cases with 18 positives. In 2019, they offered 900 trials, 21 of which were recommended for biopsy.Of those 11 were positive

Chadron Hospital is also affiliated with Scotts Bluff’s Regional West, and Danner said many breast cancer patients who need a biopsy go to Scotts Bluff Hospital. If they start the process with those radiologists, it’s easier to finish it. “

Patients can choose to go to another hospital, but Shadron often has to send an image for viewing by a radiologist before deciding to do a biopsy. “It’s just a faster process,” she said about going through Regional West.

One of the most commonly known procedures for removing breast cancer is a mastectomy, or removal of breast tissue, but early-stage cancer doctors can also perform a breast mass removal, Dannar said. Says. In this, they only remove the lump and the tissue around it to save the breast. The usual treatment for this is 6 weeks of radiation therapy and some hormone-reducing drugs.

“That’s why we want to find them early because we can have a mastectomy,” said Dunner.

The type of procedure available also depends on the type of cancer, the size of the lump, and whether it has spread. Other options include radiation therapy and chemotherapy, or a combination of the two.

“Breast cancer isn’t just about breast cancer. There are many different types of breast cancer, ranging from the ducts to the lobules of the breast. It can also occur on the skin and around the nipples.”

Some may opt for breast reconstruction surgery, but Dannar said that currently no staff at Shadowron Hospital can do this.

Breast cancer was previously believed to be hereditary, but Dannar said it wasn’t. “More and more people have no family history of breast cancer and are being diagnosed,” she said, and the best thing people can do is get their screening. She also recommends maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.

“But there’s nothing you can do to prevent it,” she said, adding that they would have a cure if they knew the cause.

“Breast cancer is as scary as any other type of cancer,” said Dunner. “But if it is detected early, the cure rate is much higher.”