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Central Kansas Medical Center recently opened with the installation of a 64-slice CT scanner and it soon will offer a new Novation digital mammography System.

The state-of-the-art CT scanner was the first purchase and now the digital mammography equipment is being installed.

“The Biggs family donation and many other generous contributions to the CKMC Foundation have now made digital mammography possible here,” said Mark Mingenback, CKMC vice president of professional services. “We cannot express our gratitude enough to the Biggs family and others who have donated to this important project.

The new digital equipment will be up and running Monday, April 5; appointments are now being scheduled for the first full week in April and thereafter.

In the interim, Mobile Imaging of Kansas will provide coverage for diagnostic mammograms. Mobile Imaging of Kansas is a joint venture of CKMC and United Radiology of Salina.

Shannon Deines, CKMC registered mammographer, noted the advantages of digital over film mammography.

“The patient doesn’t have to wait for the mammographer to run the film to another room to determine if more pictures need to be taken,” Deines explained. “In addition, re-testing will probably be minimized.”

The Novation, which is manufactured by Siemens, takes a digital image and stores it electronically on a computer. The image can then be magnified, enhanced or otherwise manipulated to aid in the evaluation.

Like film mammography, the digital procedure produces pictures using x-rays. Instead of film, this process uses detectors that change the x-ray s into electrical signals, which are then converted to an image.

The mammographer added that digital imaging is especially helpful for young patients and those with dense breasts.

Source: CKMC

Discuss more about mammography in the mammography user group.