Mammography Equipment Upgrades
IMG_5086
Left, Kelly Forrest, Right, Lisa Perrella
It is estimated that about one in eight Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, so early detection is crucial. When breast cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better.
Screening tests, like mammography, help find breast cancer before any symptoms develop. This procedure x-rays the breast and is a common and reliable way to detect breast cancer early.
Niagara Health performs thousands of mammograms every year, and Niagara Health Foundation is proud to share that aging mammography equipment was recently replaced with new, state-of-the-art devices, thanks to the generosity of community donors.
“Technology has improved so much,” explains Lisa Perrella, Charge Technologist at Niagara Health. “The new device is better for the technologists, more comfortable for the patient and offers improvements for the radiologists as well.”
The mammography unit was replaced, and a new biopsy system and chair were added. “We were also able to purchase a specimen radiography system, which is a device that analyses the tissue that is removed during biopsies.”
Lisa and her team are amazed by the many upgrades these new systems bring to Niagara. “For the technologists, the main upgrade is how adjustable everything is. When a technologist steps up to the console, all they need to do is scan their fingerprint and the console will automatically adjust to their height. They also have the ability to perform a scan using a foot paddle instead of a button,” she explains. “These changes may not seem like a big deal, but when you perform over 40 scans a day, these small movements add up.”
In addition to the console improvements, the unit itself also has a number of adjustable parts that were rigid on the old units. “When a technologist assists a patient with a mammogram, especially when they are not the same height as the technologist, that staff member has to do a lot of stretching and bending to make the necessary adjustments, and as someone who has been in this job for over 30 years, I can tell you that that has a significant impact on your back.”
“It was also designed with patient comfort in mind,” says Lisa. “When we were choosing the equipment, and I saw the biopsy chair, I wanted to cheer,” she says. “When a woman comes in for a biopsy, she is already so anxious and nervous, so even the smallest improvements to that experience really matter for our patients.”
The biopsy chair comes with added features such as a back rest and the ability to arrange the chair in a way that is comfortable for the patient and makes it easy for the technologists to bring the patient close to the biopsy system.
“For the radiologists, the biggest improvement is the inclusion of artificial intelligence,” adds Lisa. “The software automatically identifies areas that the radiologists should focus on and even prioritizes patients, so that the radiologists look at those cases first that need the most urgent attention.”
Knowing that all of this is only possible because of the generosity of donors is humbling for Lisa.
“All I can say is – thank you very much. It is amazing that we have this brand-new technology available for patients here in Niagara. It benefits the patients and our team, and I am grateful for each and every Niagara Health Foundation donor. Thank for your investing in this life-saving equipment.”
Mammography Equipment Upgrades
It is estimated that about one in eight Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, so early detection is crucial. When breast cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better.
Screening tests, like mammography, help find breast cancer before any symptoms develop. This procedure x-rays the breast and is a common and reliable way to detect breast cancer early.
Niagara Health performs thousands of mammograms every year, and Niagara Health Foundation is proud to share that aging mammography equipment was recently replaced with new, state-of-the-art devices, thanks to the generosity of community donors.
“Technology has improved so much,” explains Lisa Perrella, Charge Technologist at Niagara Health. “The new device is better for the technologists, more comfortable for the patient and offers improvements for the radiologists as well.”
The mammography unit was replaced, and a new biopsy system and chair were added. “We were also able to purchase a specimen radiography system, which is a device that analyses the tissue that is removed during biopsies.”
Lisa and her team are amazed by the many upgrades these new systems bring to Niagara. “For the technologists, the main upgrade is how adjustable everything is. When a technologist steps up to the console, all they need to do is scan their fingerprint and the console will automatically adjust to their height. They also have the ability to perform a scan using a foot paddle instead of a button,” she explains. “These changes may not seem like a big deal, but when you perform over 40 scans a day, these small movements add up.”
In addition to the console improvements, the unit itself also has a number of adjustable parts that were rigid on the old units. “When a technologist assists a patient with a mammogram, especially when they are not the same height as the technologist, that staff member has to do a lot of stretching and bending to make the necessary adjustments, and as someone who has been in this job for over 30 years, I can tell you that that has a significant impact on your back.”
“It was also designed with patient comfort in mind,” says Lisa. “When we were choosing the equipment, and I saw the biopsy chair, I wanted to cheer,” she says. “When a woman comes in for a biopsy, she is already so anxious and nervous, so even the smallest improvements to that experience really matter for our patients.”
The biopsy chair comes with added features such as a back rest and the ability to arrange the chair in a way that is comfortable for the patient and makes it easy for the technologists to bring the patient close to the biopsy system.
“For the radiologists, the biggest improvement is the inclusion of artificial intelligence,” adds Lisa. “The software automatically identifies areas that the radiologists should focus on and even prioritizes patients, so that the radiologists look at those cases first that need the most urgent attention.”
Knowing that all of this is only possible because of the generosity of donors is humbling for Lisa.
“All I can say is – thank you very much. It is amazing that we have this brand-new technology available for patients here in Niagara. It benefits the patients and our team, and I am grateful for each and every Niagara Health Foundation donor. Thank for your investing in this life-saving equipment.”
