New technology at University Hospital has the potential to save lives. Along with a site in Williamsburg, University Hospital is one of only two places in Virginia that uses digital mammography in place of analog film mammography.
With the new unit, hospital technicians can digitize mammogram images for display on a computer, making the process more effective and efficient.
In the older process, the technician performing the mammogram would leave the room to get the developed images, adding time to a patient's office visit.
With digital mammography, it only takes about 10 seconds to digitize and place the image on a computer screen, said Jennifer Harvey, associate professor of radiology and director of University Hospital's Division of Breast Imaging.
Digital images also reduce the chance of lost records because the images can be stored as part of a confidential hospital-wide computer system.
"This allows access to the image from any room in the hospital," Harvey said. "If there's a breast surgeon who wants to pull up a patient's image, that person can pull it up from the data base, and there's no chance of a lost record."
While the new mammogram process still displays results in black and white, the software allows the digital image to be manipulated in ways not possible with an analog image.
"Digital images can be enhanced to give a different perception of the tissues," Radiology Prof. Samuel Dwyer said.
It also is easier to detect certain features when using a digital image.
"Change in lightness and darkness allows the user to be able to see through fatty tissue and white tissue, both of which are harder to read" otherwise, Harvey said.
White and fatty tissues are more likely to hide cancerous growths in X-rays. This year, 180,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 44,000 women are expected to die from the disease. Breast cancer is not confined to women alone - men also are susceptible. Additionally, breast cancer does not only affect those with a genetic predisposition to the disease.
Early detection is a key step in combating this disease. The American Cancer Society strongly recommends all women take precautions against development of the disease. ACS advises women between ages 17 and 39 to conduct self-exams each month and have a physician administer clinical breast exams at least every three years.
Because physicians can manipulate images using digital mammography units, they are more likely to detect breast cancer during these examinations.
But the downside to this new technology is the high cost of the digitizing units. Whereas an older unit would cost about $70,000, a new digitizing unit costs about $450,000.
"It costs quite a bit more to buy equipment, but the good news is that Congress has approved a higher reimbursement rate for digital mammography that will be available with in the next few months," Harvey said.
Patients will not feel effects of these increased costs, Dwyer said. "The cost hasn't changed to the patient."
Medicare covers the cost of a breast exam regardless of whether it is digital or analog - individual hospitals have to foot the extra money needed for the units.
At this time, the only digital mammogram unit clinically approved by the Food and Drug Administration is a model produced by General Electric. GE has produced about 25 units nationwide and eventually will make 60, Harvey said. But the lack of available units will not hold this technology out of reach for long. Other companies are working on designs that still require FDA approval.
Harvey said she believes digital units will become the standard in the future. "Eventually all mammograms will be done using a digital machine," she said. "With time there will be more units on the market and prices will come down"
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