Digital Mammography: The New Generation of Technology Today

$500,000 for two new Digital Mammography Units with Computer Aided Diagnostics

At Martha Jefferson Hospital, we are committed to mammography as the standard for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Martha Jefferson has been a community leader in bringing mammography to convenient locations through a mobile service and community settings. In partnership with our Radiologists and The Women's Committee, the Hospital has piloted nationally recognized, community breast health outreach services. Mammography at Martha Jefferson Hospital has grown by 400% over the past ten years and we expect to perform nearly 25,000 mammograms this year.

Digital mammography is now the newest generation of technology for mammography. Martha Jefferson committed to offer digital mammograms with the opening of the Outpatient Care Center in 2003 and community support provided 2 digital machines for diagnostic imaging.

With digital mammography, images can be electronically viewed and stored. The physician can manipulate the image -- zoom in, magnify, modify contrast, and optimize different parts of breast tissue -- without having to take an additional image.

Digital mammograms offer new advantages over film mammography:

Fewer patient callbacks for additional images. Because the digital image can be enhanced, more information can be obtained from each picture.
High quality patient images in seconds. The technologist can quickly verify correct patient positioning. The experience for the patient is much faster, with the exam time reduced by as much as half.
A comprehensive view of the entire breast area. Film mammography requires multiple pictures and different positioning techniques to capture what can be seen in one digital picture.
Digital mammograms can be transmitted to another site for viewing or printing, reducing the clinical decision-making time.
Computer Aided Diagnostics (CAD) - called a "second set of eyes" for the Radiologists, is a computer program that helps identify and focus viewing to potentially cancers at earlier stages.

With the current complement of two digital machines and three analog machines, our original planning was to provide diagnostic only (second studies in suspicious areas) mammograms on the digital units. With the community and medical staff acceptance of digital imaging through recent research findings, we have seen a tremendous increase in requested digital screening mammography's that has stressed our current complement and is overall delaying screenings and diagnostic studies by weeks.

Digital mammography is significantly more expensive than film mammography, with a digital machine costing $300,000. We feel that the benefits to the patient, physicians and technical staff are worth the additional cost, particularly if supported through community philanthropy. Our goal has always been to be "totally digital" in this modality and the time is now to improve our service to the community.

With a "challenge gift" of $100,000 by an anonymous family foundation and a further commitment from The Women's Committee and the Pink Ribbon Polo event, we are planning to raise another $600,000 in community philanthropy to buy two new digital units ($600,000) with computer-assisted detection capabilities ($100,000.)