A More Comfortable Mammography Experience for Women Now at DCHC

An industry first, patient-assisted compression device now available at Davis County Hospital & Clinics (DCHC).

(DCHC) can now offer patients access to Senographe’s Pristina Dueta, an innovative patient-assisted compression device for mammography, that allows women to manage their own compression during the exam.

In traditional mammography, the technologist performing the exam compresses the patient’s breast, often causing discomfort. The Pristina Dueta is a patient-assisted compression device for mammography designed to empower the patient for a more enjoyable experience. This new, innovative self-compression feature enables the patient, under technologist supervision, to set the compression that feels right for her – helping to reduce discomfort and addressing one of the main concerns women have for avoiding mammography screening.

“Mammograms can be uncomfortable or even painful for some women,” said DCHC Medical Imaging Manager, Susan Haskell. “With the creation of this patient-assisted compression device, it has the potential to decrease pain associated with the exam, improve the patient experience and increase outcomes for breast cancer screening which we know saves lives.”

How does the self-compression tool work? After the breast is properly positioned by the technologist, the patient can use a handheld wireless remote control to command the mammography machine to adjust the compression paddle based on the patient’s comfort level.

Regular mammograms are an important tool in detecting breast cancer. In fact, evidence shows that finding breast cancer early reduces a woman’s risk of dying from the disease by 25-30 percent or more. Any patient who has ever had a mammogram knows that mammograms are often viewed as not being comfortable. And one in four women avoid getting mammograms because of the fear and anxiety from the potential result and exam discomfort. The choice can delay a breast cancer diagnosis and impact their long-term prognosis.

“No woman should miss out on the potentially life-saving benefits of mammograms out of fear or anxiety of discomfort,” commented Haskell. “The self-compression tool humanizes the mammography experience by increasing comfort and reducing patient anxiety. The system’s potential to help increase the number of annual screening exams is a critical advancement in women’s healthcare. When patients are relaxed, we can get better images and better images lead to a more confident diagnosis. The hope is that increasing comfort during the exam and giving patients the option of working with the technologist to set their own compression will increase compliance, enable early detection and improve outcomes.”

Patients having their 3-D Mammogram at Davis County Hospital & Clinics will be offered the self-compression tool usage prior to their mammography exam. Ask your doctor today about having your mammography completed at Davis County Hospital & Clinics.