St. Luke's University Health Network recently unveiled its new 3D mammography system and SensorySuite at its St. Luke's West End Medical Center, South Whitehall Township.

Dr. Joseph Russo, chief of Women's Imaging at St. Luke's University Health Network, said the new 3D mammography unit is the newest weapon in the health network's arsenal against fighting breast cancer.

"It's a new screening tool used especially for women with dense breast," he said. "The population we need to do a better job with are our dense breast patients and the 3D addresses that."

Russo said dense breast typically shows white on a mammogram, just like breast cancer.

"Trying to find a small breast cancer in dense-breasted patients is often like trying to find a snowball in a snowstorm," Russo said. "And 3D mammography gets that. It slices away at the dense breast tissue and finds small breast cancers in dense breast."

Russo said fewer patients need to be called back for additional imaging with this new 3D mammography unit.

"Women get anxious when they have to come back for additional imaging, but with this technology, we have significantly decreased that," he stated. "There is up to a 40 percent decrease in call backs when we use 3D."

Russo said this 3D mammography unit is housed in the new GE SensorySuite.

"The advantage of this is a patient can call up and make her appointment and at the same time she can decide if she wants her mammogram to be a day at the beach, a day at the lake with the music, sound effects and lighting to match," Russo said. "Also, there is a different video for whatever she chooses."

"A woman can even choose what type of scent she wants during her mammogram, whether it is lavender, the beach, you name it, so the whole process becomes less anxiety inducing for the patient."

Russo said 3D mammography is probably going to replace regular mammography as the standard of care of women's imaging.

Dr. Trisha Kelly, breast oncologist with St. Luke's University Health Network, also discussed the new mammography unit and its benefit.

"This new GE Healthcare SensorySuite has the ability to provide a comfortable environment for women to come and get their mammograms," Kelly said.

She said many women have anxiety about getting a mammogram and this new unit alleviate those fears.

"Maybe they like to go to the beach and that relaxes them, so with the SensorySuite they can pick a beach scene," Kelly said.

Kelly said hopefully this new breast imaging unit will alleviate some of the fear-based reasoning of why some women don't get an annual mammography.

"I think hopefully if they have a positive experience," Kelly said. "They will keep coming on an annual basis."

Kelly said the other benefit to the new equipment is to acquire those additional images, which don't require any additional radiation.

"Some of the standard technology out there in the market, there is a little bit higher radiation involved in acquiring the images," Kelly stated. "This new unit does not need any additional radiation which is an amazing benefit to women."

The 3D mammography unit offers the standard dose of radiation as a regular 2D digital mammography, Kelly said.

She said a standard 2D digital mammogram is what is offered routinely at almost any imaging facility.

"This new unit gives an additional image which is the 3D component just like you think about when you go to the movies, so we can better visualize the architecture of a woman's breast tissue," Kelly stated.

She said 3D mammograms are helpful for women who are dense breasted and every woman coming for a mammogram now is notified of her breast density.

"Basically that means there is extra glandular support elements verses fatty tissue in the breast and this type of technology will help us get a better internal picture," Kelly said.

Marilyn Claire of Upper Macungie Township commented on the new 3D mammography and SensorySuite.

"It was very simple, the same as any other mammography, you wouldn't know there was a difference," Claire said.

"The sights, sounds and smells really put you at ease," she stated. "I chose the ocean. Water to me is always relaxing.

"Whatever position you are in, you can see the water. It took the edge off and made it more relaxing, she said.

Claire said she would definitely recommend this new 3D mammography to other patients.

"First of all, to have a 3D view really gives the doctors a much, much better picture of your breast and what is going on," she said. "I think it is going to change the way women view having mammograms.

"It is not something you look forward to. It is kind of like going to the dentist; you know you have to go. You have to make sure you stay healthy."

"It is the same sort of thing but now you can have a mammography and know that the total picture is there.

"This is really terrific technology."