Digital Mammography

The Latest in Women's Care

This article originally appeared in Community Caregiver, a health information newsletter published by Wing Memorial Hospital for members of the Greater Palmer community.

Diagnostic Imaging at Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers has expanded its health and wellness services available to women with the addition of the SeleniaTM digital mammography system from Hologic®. This new system at Wing Memorial Hospital is the first digital mammography unit in the Quaboag Hills region.

"At Wing Memorial Hospital, we are committed to providing exceptional care to the women in our community. Now, with the addition of the digital mammography unit, our entire Radiology Department is fully equipped with high-tech, digital imaging equipment. This means that every x-ray from an ultrasound to a CT scan to a mammogram will be digital," said Charles Cavagnaro III, MD, president and CEO.

"This state-of-the-art digital mammography system will allow us to view the x-ray image more closely zeroing in on suspicious or concerning areas. This enables us to make quick decisions about additional images and provide our patients with the highest quality of care in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer," said Radiologist Sanford Smoot, MD.

According to Susan Lavoie, director of radiology, "It is important to note that a digital mammography appointment takes less than half the time of traditional film-based exams."

In conjunction with the digital mammography unit, the radiology department at Wing Memorial Hospital is also offering Computer-Aided Detection (CAD). CAD provides a "second read" of the mammogram by a computer. This assists the radiologist in making an accurate diagnosis, like the spell check function in word processing.
Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers provides a comprehensive scope of services addressing the physical, emotional and educational needs of our clients. Services include screening programs, diagnosis, intervention, treatment and management of many different diseases of the breast, as well as educational and support resources.