Portsmouth, NH, March 14, 2014 - Women who undergo routine mammograms at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Breast Center, 155 Borthwick Road in Portsmouth, now have the latest screening and diagnostic technology available to them.

Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Breast Center is now offering 3D mammography, also known as tomosynthesis, for breast cancer screening. 3D mammography helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.

The center’s Selenia® Dimensions® breast tomosynthesis system is made by Hologic, a world leader in digital mammography. The Selenia Dimensions system offers exceptionally sharp breast images, an advanced ergonomic design providing more patient comfort, and the ground-breaking tomosynthesis platform designed to deliver superior screening and diagnostic performance.

We believe 3D mammography will benefit all screening and diagnostic mammography patients, and is especially valuable for women receiving a baseline screening, those who have dense breast tissue and/or women with a personal history of breast cancer.

Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis when combined with a conventional 2D mammography has a higher cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography alone.1 Radiologists are reporting that tomosynthesis technology gives them increased confidence with a significant reduction in recall rates. 

During a 3D mammography exam, multiple, low-dose images of the breast are acquired at different angles. These images are then used to produce a series of one-millimeter thick slices that can be viewed as a 3D reconstruction of the breast.

By offering women the latest technology in mammography, Portsmouth Regional Hospital hopes to increase the number of area women who will be routinely screened. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Statistics indicate that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman’s chance of survival. If detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. 

Portsmouth Regional Hospital is committed to the fight against breast cancer. In offering 3D Mammography, Portsmouth Regional Hospital provides the latest in imaging quality. If you would like to schedule a mammogram, call 603-559-4190. For more information about this important breast health procedure, call 603-433-5191.