Leading the way in the fight against breast cancer (w/video)

Gritman Medical Hospital's new 3-D mammogram machine at its Women's Imaging Center will give doctors a chance to diagnose breast cancer earlier and at more treatable stages.

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The new machine detects 15-20 percent more breast cancer than the traditional 2-D machines.

"When (a woman) leaves here she knows she has had the most advanced mammogram possible," radiologist Christin Reisenauer said.

"It has exceeded every one of my expectations," she added. "We have only had the machine for one month and I know that I have found breast cancer that absolutely would not have been visible with a 2-D mammography."

Reisenauer said dense breasts are the downfall of 2-D machines. During a typical examination, 2-D machines take two photographs of the breasts, one with a top/bottom view and a second with a side-to-side view. Many women with dense breasts have overlapping tissues that can hide abnormal tissue.

With a 3-D mammogram, women are positioned the same way while an X-ray arm sweeps in a slight arc over the entire breast, allowing the radiologist to collect images at multiple angles. The high-powered computing converts digital breast images into a stack of very thin layers, essentially building a 3-D construction that allows the doctor to view the breast one layer at a time.

"It will increase invasive breast cancer detection by 40 percent. There is no reason in the world why women would not have a mammogram without a 3-D machine," Reisenauer said.

Reisenauer compared the machines to looking through the pages of a book. A 2-D machine is similar to only looking a book's front and back covers. With a 3-D machine, doctors can open up the book and look through page by page.

Beyond early detection of breast cancer, the machine can also help eliminate having to call back patients for another exam if a density is detected, something that can be costly, stressful and cause high-anxiety for women. She said the 3-D machine will decrease call back rates by 20-40 percent.

"It is phenomenal technology - it is a game changer," Reisenauer said. "This is the biggest advance in this technology in the last 30 years."

Reisenauer said unlike other technology advances that only benefit certain areas of the medical field, this machine will benefit all women who have a mammogram in their lifetime.

The procedure takes only 12-15 seconds to complete and there is no additional charge for the 3-D mammogram. Reisenauer said the Women's Imaging Center is willing to expand its hours to accommodate interested patients. Reisenauer said aside from Gritman, the nearest 3-D machines are located in McCall and the Tri-Cities. She said the hospital has already had women from as far as Coeur d'Alene and Spokane come in for breast exams.

Gritman Medical Center held an open house Monday evening to celebrate its newest tool and allow community members to stop by and see it for themselves.

The machine was paid for through the operating budget of Gritman, costing $450,000.

"The bottom line is we will save lives and that is why we made the investment in this machine," Reisenauer said.

Sunny Browning can be reached at (208) 883-4639, or by email to sbrowning@dnews.com.