Palomar Medical Center Poway has new 3D mammogram machines

POWAY – The Jean McLaughlin Women’s Center at Palomar Medical Center Poway recently unveiled two new 3D breast imaging machines and one new breast biopsy machine that the site’s director said will significantly improve women’s health.

One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime making early detection critical; Palomar Health’s 3D breast imaging machines can detect cancers sooner than traditional 2D machines. To facilitate early detection, women should have annual mammogram screenings every year beginning at age 40.

The new 3D breast imaging machines have several advantages over the older 2D machines, including sharper images that detect 20 to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers, reduced patient callbacks because of inconclusive images and a more ergonomic design for patient comfort. The biopsy machine uses automation to reduce discomfort and improve efficiency, accuracy and patient comfort.

Together, the three machines represent a $1.1 million investment made by Palomar Health and the Palomar Health Foundation to improve women’s health in North San Diego County. One of the machine’s donors is the widowed spouse of Lori, whose last name was omitted to protect confidentiality. Lori’s cancer went undetected until it was terminal despite having annual mammograms.

“It is my hope that making better tools available, like the 3D mammography machine, will help others be successful in their fight against cancer,” Lori’s husband James said, who believes the 3D machine may have saved Lori’s life.

The Jean McLaughlin Women’s Center offers personalized service through a nurse navigator, with 98 percent patient satisfaction, as reported by Press Ganey, and the American College of Radiology’s designation as a Breast Center of Excellence.

Submitted by Palomar Health.