One out of every eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. The first line of defense against this awful disease is early detection through quality imaging – performed routinely throughout every woman’s lifetime.
“In patients identified as high-risk, where the chances of breast cancer are increased, additional screening with MRI is recommended,” said Sergio Dromi, MD, ProScan NCH Director of Breast Imaging, board-certified and fellowship-trained in breast imaging.
ProScan Women’s Imaging at NCH provides the most comprehensive and cutting-edge imaging solutions, and just opened its newest facility on Vanderbilt Beach Road in North Naples. The facility offers all breast imaging services in one location including screening and diagnostic mammography (screening 3D/Tomosynthesis), MRI, ultrasound, contrast-enhanced mammography, and multimodality biopsies. It has been proven that 3D mammography improves the detection of breast cancer while decreasing the number of callbacks.
“ProScan Women’s Imaging at NCH is the first center in Southwest Florida to offer this imaging service,” explained Dr. Dromi.
Contrast-enhanced mammography works like a regular diagnostic mammogram with the addition of an injection of contrast to highlight areas of abnormal blood flow. Contrast will only be available for diagnostic mammograms. The facility also offers a dedicated 3T MRI for breast imaging that is faster and creates sharper images compared to low-field MRIs.
The imaging center also offers dedicated ultrasound elastography, which helps distinguish between stiffness and soft tissues. “The majority of cancers demonstrate a stiffer behavior when compared to benign tissue, and elastography helps to determine whether or not a biopsy is needed,” said Dr. Dromi.
All imaging is performed by trained and certified technologists following the American College of Radiology and FDA guidelines. Dedicated breast imaging fellowship-trained radiologists interpret the images.
If previous breast imaging is immediately available, new screening exams will be read by a radiologist within 24 hours. If not, the patient’s prior imaging records are ordered, and the exam will be read within two weeks. “Prior exams are important in comparing the patient’s breast tissue year-over-year and help reduce unnecessary callbacks,” said Dr. Dromi.
Guidelines state that patients with an average risk for breast cancer should start screening mammograms at the age of 40 – and should be repeated every year until life expectancy is no more than ten years.
“High-risk patients who have either a genetic predisposition, family history, or who test more than 20% on the Tyrer-Cuzick scale need to start the surveillance ten years before the first-degree relative was diagnosed with breast cancer – or at the age of 30. These patients should be screened every year with mammograms and MRI,” Dr. Dromi said.
The Tyrer-Cuzick scale provides a risk score that estimates the likelihood of a woman developing breast cancer in 10 years and throughout her lifetime.
“Patients with dense breast tissue have an indirectly increased risk for breast cancer due to the possibility of cancer being obscured by dense tissue. Interpreting these images is more complex, so additional surveillance with a more sensitive test, such as an MRI, is recommended,” Dr. Dromi said.
Screening mammograms can be self-referred. However, a physician or specialist referral is needed for diagnostic examinations.
Early detection of breast cancer is vital, because it can be treated easily with less aggressive surgeries and therapies. “A 3 millimeter cancer is much more easily excised and treated – with a much better long-term prognosis – than a 5 centimeter cancer,” Dr. Dromi added.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call ProScan NCH at (239) 624-4443, option 3. The center is located at 2320 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 1, in Naples.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 239-624-4443. proscan.com