Women can now receive 3D mammograms for the first time in B.C.
BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre's new Sadie Diamond Breast Health Imaging Centre is open and has state-of-the-art digital mammography machines complete with tomosynthesis.
Tomosynthesis is a medical imaging technique that provides 3D images of the breast, which helps doctors with early detection of breast cancer in women. The technique generates multiple images from different angles of the breast tissue, which are then viewed on a computer screen as 3D images. This aids radiologists in more accurate breast cancer detection and significantly reduces call-backs to re-screen (false positives) and missed diagnoses (false negatives).
Together with the brand new digital mammography machines, being able to offer women tomosynthesis increases BC Women's breast cancer screening and diagnostic capacity. This enables the Centre to offer care to women faster with the most advanced equipment available on the market today.
Along with the latest technology, the new 350-square metre Sadie Diamond Breast Health Imaging Centre at BC Women's has comfortable, private change areas, modern exam rooms and a new, high-tech image reading room for the radiologists.
"We're thrilled to be able to provide tomosynthesis with our new digital mammography machines at BC Women's," said Dr. Paula Gordon, medical director/radiologist, BC Women's Sadie Diamond Breast Health Imaging Centre and Breast Health Program. "This new technology and equipment enables us to 'see' more clearly, reducing the need to call women back to reshoot images and shortening the time between taking the images and being able to view them."
Through a unique partnership between BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre Foundation and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation BC/Yukon Region a $3 million transformative gift was received from the Gordon and Leslie Diamond family to enable the purchase of state-of-the-art digital mammography machines with tomosynthesis, as well as the renovation of space to create the Centre.
BC Women's Foundation raised an additional $1 million from TELUS to also support BC Women's move to digital mammography equipment.The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) contributed a further $1.1 million in operational funding for the Sadie Diamond Breast Health Imaging Centre to implement fellowships for radiologists from across the province.
To access the services of the Sadie Diamond Breast Health Imaging Centre, women may self refer for screening mammography, but a physician or nurse practitioner referral is needed for diagnostic mammography and other diagnostic services.
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