Technology makes mammograms comfortable, accurate
By KRISTEN M. WHITE
The Pueblo West View
Any woman who has ever gotten a mammography will likely tell you that it’s not exactly a fun, comfortable experience. Even thought it’s important - and in some cases can be life-saving - many women forgo the experience altogether because of the unpleasantness.
But through a somewhat new technology, available at Park West Imaging on the outskirts of Pueblo West, women can experience a better mammography, and the folks at Park West Imaging hope it’s something that will keep patients coming back yearly.
The MammoPad is a soft, foam cushion placed between the image detector and the breast, helping to make the experience of a mammogram “warmer, softer and more comfortable,” according to Hologic, Inc., the company that produces MammoPad.
Dr. Bryan Nolt at Park West Imaging said he’s seen and heard from patients how much better the MammoPad has made things for women.
“Mammograms are notoriously uncomfortable,” he said. “These disposable cushions that you stick on the paddles (of the equipment) makes it much more comfortable for the patient. It gets rid of the hard edges and it’s not super-cold either.
“We offer (the MammoPad) mainly as a service to the patients at Park West Imaging. We’re very patient-oriented, so we try to do what we can to ease the discomfort of having to get a procedure or imagine done.”
The other plus for MammoPads is they actually help technologists get a slightly better image, which is used to evaluate the breast for abnormalities and screen for breast cancer. Dr. Nolt said, using the pads, technologists can get a better compression, which results in a better image.
Park West Imaging began using the MammoPads more than a year ago. The only downside is the cost, Dr. Nolt said, but noted that it’s worth it.
“Initially we talked about using these and asked if we could afford to eat the cost of them. It’s a procedure that’s only making a couple of bucks, and then to reduce that in half É so we decided to do a demo. We had a questionnaire for whoever tried them, and overwhelmingly everyone said it was the best mammogram they’d had. It had a big impact on patients.”
So, the decision was made for Park West Imaging, and they’ve been offering the MammoPad-aided mammograms ever since.
According to studies, including one in The Breast Journal, the MammoPads reduce discomfort by 50 percent in 75 percent of women.
An annual mammogram is one of the best ways to screen for breast cancer, and early detection of breast cancer is key. However, only about 60 percent of women adhere to the guidelines of recommended annual screening, and discomfort is often the primary reason for skipping a screening.
Dr. Nolt noted that, beginning at age 40, women should have an annual mammogram, and women who have a first-degree relative (like a mother or sister) with breast cancer should often begin screenings earlier. He stressed that mammograms are important, and hopes the MammoPads help make the experience more bearable.
“It’s a no-brainer for us (to provide them),” he said. “Any little thing we can do to make the experience better, to make you feel more like a human being, then we want to do it.”
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