East Jordan, MI)- Bellaire and East Jordan Family Health Centers (EJFHC) are proud to announce the addition of two new 3D Mammography machines. The new Hologic Selenia machines will replace their current 2D mammography machines and the first in Region to Offer Genius™ 3D Mammography™ Exams.
“We are excited to offer our communities 3D mammogram technology. The 3D mammogram has been shown to detect breast cancer earlier than 2D mammography as well as reduce the need for call back mammograms,” said Joelle Woodruff, EJFHC Medical Director. “To compare the two: The 2D mammogram image is created by taking two images, top to bottom and side to side. The 3D mammogram takes several images in an arc pattern in slices. This technology provides a clearer picture in all types of breast tissue but is especially useful in breast tissue that is dense. We really are fortunate to be able to offer this service to our communities and continue striving to provide quality care.”
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Statistics indicate that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. If detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent.
Our Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exam, available on the 3Dimensions™ and Selenia® Dimensions® systems from Hologic, are revolutionizing how breast cancer is detected by providing a better option for women of all breast densities compared to 2D alone.1-2
Researchers have found that:
- The Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exam finds 20-65% more invasive breast cancers compared to 2D alone, an average increase of 41%.3
- Only the Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exam is FDA approved as superior for women with dense breasts compared to 2D alone.1-2
- The Genius™ 3D Mammography™ exam reduces callbacks by up to 40% compared to 2D alone.2,4
The American Cancer Society recommends women of average risk for breast cancer to start screening for breast cancer between ages 40-44 and continue with screening yearly until the age of 55 years at which time they can transition to every other year screening. If a patient is high risk for breast cancer and/or has family history of breast cancer, they need to speak with their primary care provider for different screening recommendations.
The new 3D mammography machines were made possible by a grant from the Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA) and the United Health Foundation. MPCA is a statewide organization that supports primary care providers. The United Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group, a leading health care company.
“We are grateful to MPCA and the United Health Foundation for their support of this important project,” said Daniel McKinnon, CEO of EJFHC. “Being able to offer 3D mammography at EJFHC is a huge asset to our communities, as patients will no longer have to travel out of town for this service. Their investment will help us to provide our patients with the best possible care.”
As part of the expanded 3D mammography services, EJFHC is partnering with the Know Your Lemons Foundation to bring education and awareness to the importance of breast self-exams. Monthly breast self-exams are also important and can help fill the gap between your mammograms. We suggest downloading the free ‘Know Your lemons’ mobile app to learn how and when to self-exam. Remember, a breast self-exam is not a hunt for cancer, but it is a great way for you to learn what your ‘normal’ is. The partnership with the Know Your Lemons Foundation is an important step in EJFHC’s mission to educate and empower women about breast cancer.
EJFHC encourages you to download the Know Your Lemons mobile app and to learn how to do a breast self-exam. Early detection is key to successful treatment, and breast self-exams are a simple and effective way to catch breast cancer early.
EJFHC is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive health care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. If you would like to schedule a Genius 3D Mammography™ exam, or have questions about this important breast health procedure, please contact the Bellaire or East Jordan Family Health Centers.
For additional information on the services offered at EJFHC, including the new 3D mammography service, please visit www.ejfhc.org or follow “East Jordan Family Health Center” on Facebook.
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About East Jordan Family Health Center
East Jordan Family Health Center is a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive health care services to people in Antrim and Charlevoix Counties. EJFHC is committed to providing high-quality care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
About Genius™ 3D Mammography™ Exams
The breast is a three-dimensional object composed of different structures located at different heights within the breast. These structures can overlap and cause confusion when viewed as a flat two-dimensional image. This confusion of overlapping of tissue is a leading reason why small breast cancers may be missed and normal tissue may appear abnormal, leading to unnecessary callbacks. Using breast tomosynthesis technology, the Hologic system creates a 3-dimensional image of the breast structure, which enables radiologists to more clearly see through overlapping tissue to detect cancers, often at an earlier stage.
The Hologic system is the first FDA-approved breast tomosynthesis system in the U.S. Hologic Genius 3D Mammography™ exams are now available in all 50 states and over 50 countries. To date, more than 8 million women have been screened with this advanced screening system.
About Michigan Primary Care Association (MPCA)
MPCA is a statewide organization that supports primary care providers. MPCA works to improve the quality, access, and affordability of health care for all Michiganders.
About the United Health Foundation
The United Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group, a leading health care company. The United Health Foundation works to improve health and well-being in communities across the United States by supporting programs and initiatives that focus on prevention, treatment, and access to care.
About the Know Your Lemons Foundation
The Know Your Lemons Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2015 by breast cancer survivor, Dr. Linda Bacon. The foundation’s mission is to educate women about breast cancer and to empower them to take control of their health. The Know Your Lemons mobile app is a free, interactive tool that teaches women how to do a breast self-exam and how to recognize the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
The Genius™ 3D Mammography™ (a.k.a. Genius™ exam) is acquired on the Hologic® 3D Mammography™ system and consists of a 2D and 3D™ image set, where the 2D image can be either an acquired 2D image or a 2D image generated from the 3D™ image set. The Genius™ exam is only available on the Hologic 3D Mammography™ system.
References:
1) FDA submissions P080003, P080003/S001, P080003/S004, P080003/S005
2) Friedewald SM, Rafferty EA, Rose SL, et al. Breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography. JAMA. 2014 Jun 25;311(24):2499-507.
3) Results from Friedewald, SM, et al. “Breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” JAMA 311.24 (2014): 2499 2507; a multi-site (13), non-randomized, historical control study of 454,000 screening mammograms investigating the initial impact the introduction of the Hologic Selenia® Dimensions ® on screening outcomes. Individual results may vary. The study found an average 41% (95% CI: 20-65%) increase and that 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8-1.6) additional invasive breast cancers per 1000 screening exams were found in women receiving combined 2D FFDM and 3D™ mammograms acquired with the Hologic 3D Mammography™ System versus women receiving 2D FFDM mammograms only.
4) Bernardi D, Macaskill P, Pellegrini M, et. al. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis (3D mammography) with acquired or synthetic 2D mammography compared with 2D mammography alone (STORM-2): a population-based prospective study. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Aug;17(8):1105-13.
5) Bernardi D, Macaskill P, Pellegrini M, et. al. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis(3D mammography) with acquired or synthetic 2D mammography compared with 2D mammography alone (STORM-2): a population-based prospective study. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Aug;17(8):1105-13.
6) McDonald ES, Oustimov A, Weinstein SP, et al. Effectiveness of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Compared With Digital Mammography: Outcomes Analysis From 3 Years of Breast Cancer Screening. JAMA Oncol. 2016 Jun 1;2(6):737-43.
7) Rafferty EA, Durand MA, Conant EF, et al Breast Cancer Screening Using Tomosynthesis and Digital Mammography in Dense and Nondense Breasts. JAMA. 2016 Apr 26;315(16):1784-6.
