Wayne Memorial’s New 3-D Mammography Offers Safety & Comfort

(Honesdale, January 29, 2018)… What’s so special about Wayne Memorial Hospital’s new 3-dimensional digital mammography system, the Senographe Pristina from GE?  It addresses patients’ two greatest concerns, according to Wayne Memorial’s Medical Director of Imaging Services – radiation exposure and comfort.

“I’m very excited that that the Pristina delivers significantly less radiation than most other systems,” explained Charles Barax, MD, “and it’s designed with patient comfort in mind. Mammography is a vital part of woman’s health. The more we can encourage patients to have a mammogram, the better!”

The Senographe Pristina is a digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system which can reconstruct a 3-dimensional image from a single scan. According to GE, it delivers “superior diagnostic accuracy at the same dose as 2D mammography, the lowest patient dose of all government approved DBT systems.”

In addition, the Pristina’s construction offers armrests and rounded edges instead of hard-to-reach handgrips and sharp corners. Relaxed muscles help simplify positioning and compression and ultimately improve image quality.

“I must say that this new mammography equipment was more comfortable than what I was used to,” said Teresa Bates, Honesdale, who was one of the first patients to experience 3D mammography at Wayne Memorial. “Putting my arms on the armrests was much better than having to grab something,” she continued, adding “I’m just under five feet tall and I didn’t have to tippy-toe this time either for the technologist to get a good picture.”

“We are thrilled to offer our patients this service at the hospital and in our mobile unit,” said James Hockenbury, director Ancillary Services. “We chose the Senographe Pristina precisely to provide our patients with three important C’s’: comfort, confidence and clarity.”

Annual screening mammograms are recommended by the American Cancer Society for women age 40 and over. Mammography may be performed on younger women when there is a strong family history of breast cancer or when the woman has particular symptoms.

Wayne Memorial performs approximately 4,000 mammograms a year at the hospital in Honesdale, at its Pike County Medical Center in Lords Valley and, as of last fall, in its mobile unit.  The mobile van travels to Hamlin, Carbondale, Vandling and Lake Como.  The 3D system is offered at the hospital and in the mobile unit and is anticipated to be installed in Pike County this summer. No other hospital in the immediate northeast region of Pennsylvania currently has the Senographe Pristina, according to GE.

“The 3D implementation is a first step in what we hope will be a series of enhancements for women’s imaging at Wayne Memorial Hospital,” said Rob Brzuchalski, CRA, RT, RDMS, Imaging Services manager. “In the next few years, we hope to add new core biopsy capabilities, 3D whole breast ultrasound, as well as additional patient comfort features such as patient-assisted compression during mammography.”

To make an appointment for a 3D mammogram, patients who have a prescription can call Wayne Memorial Central Scheduling at 570-251-6689.

Photo:  Wayne Memorial Hospital’s new 3D digital mammography system, flanked by Charles Barax, MD, medical director Imaging Services, and mammography technologists Tiffany Shaffer, RT (M)  (left) and Maripat Connor, RT (M). Missing: Lisa Labar, RT (M), Karen Barchak, RT (M).