Thanks to an anonymous donor, Marian Regional Medical Center recently acquired new mammogram technologies to detect breast cancer at earlier stages.
The first is 3Dimensions Mammography System, available at Mission Hope Breast Imaging Center, takes high quality, clear images, from which radiologists can detect smaller cancers that would have slipped through the previous system, radiologist Ramanjyot Muhar said.
“I do think it’s one of the best machines out there on the market. I love looking at the images from here because they are beautiful, and any small abnormality can stick out here,” she said. “We take a sense of pride in detecting cancer early and have a positive outcome.”
Before, people would come in for a mammogram and the center used 2D imaging technology, which wasn’t as accurate and could bring up false positive cases, Muhar said.
“We would have called people back when it wasn’t anything. It raises a lot of anxiety, and [now] the amount of that has decreased. It reduces call-backs and increases detection of cancer,” she said.
The new imaging technology also makes it more comfortable for someone to have their screening done thanks to a curved paddle that sits on the breast tissue in a less compressive way and it detects more areas on the breast tissue, Muhar added.
“The machine we had was older and we were not visualizing abnormalities like we are now. Because we are a cancer-specific center, we need[ed] that machine,” she said.
Alongside 3Dimensions, the Brevera Breast Biopsy System is another new piece of equipment that shortens biopsy procedures and reduces the amount of breast tissue doctors have to take, Muhar said.
During previous procedures, doctors would have to take biopsy samples, leave the room, take an X-ray to confirm what they are looking for, and then come back to the patient. Now, Muhar and other radiologists can see what they are removing from the breasts and don’t have to leave the patient’s side or repeatedly remove more breast tissue for testing, she said.
“The other thing the techs tell me is it’s much easier for them to use, and we can see more patients during the day. With the ease of the machine for the technologists, we are able to see more patients and care for more people in the community,” Muhar said.
These are newer machines to the Central Coast area, but not unique to Marian, she noted. Patients don’t have to go only to the center in order to receive this type of testing, rather it’s just that their location “caught up, finally.”
“This is something that we needed for a while, and we have it now and it’s great. It increases the confidence for the radiologist when looking at mammograms; technologists have mentioned they like working with the machine as well,” she said. “The biopsy portion really was something we needed here. The biopsy table we had before really needed to be upgraded.”
Muhar encouraged people to schedule a mammogram at 40 and every year following because it detects cancer at smaller sizes and improves prognosis. If younger people in their 20s or 30s feel something, Muhar said they should talk to their doctor to see if they need to get screened at the center.
“It’s better now than ever. Patients feel bad they had something, but at the end of the day you have to be thankful you are arriving at the time you did.”
Highlight
• The Lompoc Public Library received a Building Forward Grant from the California State Library that will begin significant improvements at the main library branch, including a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The library’s current system is about 20 years old, with no air conditioning and poor circulation. Along with improving the ventilation system, the funding will be used for renovating the youth restrooms at the main branch and make current restrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The grant from the California State Library is $403,442, and the city of Lompoc is providing an additional $201,721 toward the improvement projects. Both projects are expected to take place in 2023.
• Santa Barbara County’s Public Works Department and the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade are collaborating for the Refugio Road Trails Restoration Project—which connects Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and Samantha Drive along Refugio Road and includes opportunities for community members to participate. The first opportunity was Oct. 1 and the second is Oct. 8 at 8:30 a.m. in front of the high school. For details about the project and to sign up, visit sbco.mysocialpinpoint.com/refugiotrail.
Taylor O’Connor wrote this week’s Spotlight. You can reach her at toconnor@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2022.