For the convenience of women throughout Cincinnati, Mercy Health, which provides compassionate quality care in your neighborhood through its care network, now offers 3D mammography (breast tomosynthesis) for breast cancer screening at locations throughout Cincinnati.
Tomosynthesis screenings are available at Mercy Health – Anderson, Fairfield and West hospitals and The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health. Mercy Health Mobile Mammography has offered tomosynthesis screenings since 2012 and continues to do so throughout the region.
Breast tomosynthesis produces a three-dimensional view of the breast tissue that helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.
Breast tomosynthesis benefits all screening and diagnostic mammography patients. When combined with a conventional 2D mammogram, this technology has demonstrated a higher cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography alone.
During the tomosynthesis screening, the X-ray tube moves around the breast, taking multiple, low-dose images of the breast at different angles. These images produce a series of one-millimeter thick “slices” that expert radiologists view as a 3D reconstruction of the breast, much like a CT scan provides a 3D view of the body.
“The availability of tomosynthesis technology is a great benefit for our patients,” said Mercy Health Physician and Breast Surgeon Hilary Shapiro-Wright, DO. “Early detection plays a tremendous role in breast cancer survival. With this technology, we can detect breast cancer at its earliest stage and believe that this will encourage more women to have regular screenings that can save their lives.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The stage at which physicians detect breast cancer influences a woman’s chance of survival and early detection can greatly improve a woman’s five-year survival rate.
Mercy Health is committed to the fight against breast cancer. In offering breast tomosynthesis digital mammography, Mercy Health provides the latest in imaging technology at locations convenient to you.
If you would like to schedule a mammogram or want more information about this groundbreaking breast health procedure, please call (513) 686-3300 for The Jewish Hospital and Mercy Health Mobile Mammography and (513) 956-3729 (513-95-MERCY) for all other locations.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women have a mammogram every year starting at age 40.
Screening mammograms are usually a covered benefit with most insurance carriers. For best coverage, patients should verify that Mercy Health and The Jewish Hospital are in-network providers with their insurance carrier.
For women who are uninsured or underinsured (have high deductibles), we have financial assistance programs available.