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Breast cancer battle goes digital LISA VANDERVELDE Morning Star Staff
The new digital mammography machine can detect a cancerous nodule the size of a grain of sand, strengthening a woman’s fight against breast cancer. With the support of the North Okanagan community, Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s imaging department has had a major upgrade, including a digital mammography machine, high resolution monitors and renovations that have enhanced patient and staff spaces. The new digital unit replaces an older analog system, which performed nearly 7,000 screenings and 3,500 diagnostic examinations on patients last year. “The technological improvements that accompany the conversion to digital equipment are numerous,” said VJH radiologist Dr. Glenn Scheske. “They include easier and faster stereotactic breast biopsy procedures, computer-assisted diagnosis for interpretation as well as better storage and access for breast imaging.” Having digital images on high resolution screens, the radiologists can see the defined edges of the skin’s surface and easily manipulate and zoom in on the images, something that was not possible with the old film system. Radiologist Dr. Adam Weathermon explains the benefits of the new digital system. “For us reading the images it is a lot easier because they’re already on our work station, we don’t have to use film. It is easier to transfer images to other sites so other physicians can look at them and compare them to prior mammograms,” he said. Weathermon says the patients will also benefit. The images come up faster because they don’t have to develop film, there is less time with the breast compressed in uncomfortable positions and improved detection of cancer in women under 50 years of age, premenopausal women and women with dense breasts. The new machine also reduces the amount of radiation patients are subjected to by approximately 30 per cent Local individuals and organizations donated more than $500,000 to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s Take a Picture Campaign, and approximately $250,000 was provided by the North Okanagan/Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District. “It is astounding the level of generosity the people in this area have,” said Sue Beaudry, VJH Foundation director of development. Stk# 14-166A
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
Radiologists Dr. Adam Weathermon (left) and Dr. Glenn Scheske join mammography technologist Laura Conzatti as they show off the new digital mammography machine at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. “The community has really come together to support this cause, and their generous donations have made the purchase of the mammography machine possible.” Some of the VJH Foundation’s top contributors for the imaging department upgrades were the Wine, Women and Woods golf tournament, the Coldstream Women’s Institute, the Bosom Buddies, The Rise golf tournament and the Vernon Dragon Boat Festival. “B.C. has some of the best breast cancer survival outcomes and we know that early detection is a key to this success,” said Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster. “This new mammography machine and upgrades to the imaging department will help support the health of local residents for years to come.” The diagnostic imaging department at VJH services nearly 130,00 people in the North Okanagan and into parts of the Columbia Shuswap. VJH’s imaging department is a fully accredited facility by the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
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Mammography technologist Laura Conzatti uses the console of the new mammography machine.
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