June 29, 2017 — GE Healthcare has collaborated with Boca Raton Regional Hospital (Boca Raton, Fla.) to bring a more comfortable mammography system, Senographe Pristina to patients with next-generation 3-D digital mammography technology. It is the first installation of Senographe Pristina in the United States.
“Senographe Pristina offer patients a reinvented mammography experience, one that had not significantly changed for the last 40 years,” said Kathy Schilling, M.D., medical director at the hospital’s Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health and Wellness Institute. “After having a mammogram on Senographe Pristina, women immediately recognize a pleasant difference: It’s a faster and quieter exam with greater comfort and less pain during compression.”
Schilling also noted, “Our goal is for all our baseline patients to have their mammograms with this new technology, with the intent that it will help to dismiss any preconceived fears and encourage more compliance with annual screening.”
Senographe Pristina was designed to make the patient experience more comfortable. The gentle, rounded corners of the image detector help reduce patient discomfort under the arms. New, comfortable armrests replace conventional handgrips that may cause tensing of the pectoral muscles, making it hard to properly position the tissue. In addition, the redesigned armrest allows women to gently support their arm during the exam in a relaxed position making the exam more appealing.
Improper positioning has been found to be the cause of poor image quality that can then require a rescan, and the lack of proper positioning may decrease mammography sensitivity. By improving patient comfort, the technologists can focus on providing the highest quality exam for the radiologist to interpret.
The Women’s Institute at Boca Regional performs over 90,000 screening and diagnostic breast exams a year, with a robust portfolio of breast imaging equipment to address each woman’s unique healthcare needs. The Institute has also put an emphasis on the patient experience by creating a spa-like atmosphere throughout the facility. This is especially noticeable in the mammography suites where the air is infused with a light, calming fragrance, while flat-screen wall monitors display soothing videos and photos, and project relaxing sounds to create a serene environment.
GE Healthcare recently received pre-market approval for 3-D technology on Senographe Pristina. This technology, also known as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), delivers superior diagnostic accuracy at the same low dose as a 2-D mammography exam, the lowest patient dose of all U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved 3-D mammography systems.
For more information: www.gehealthcare.com
April 18, 2024 
