Beaufort Memorial Hospital | Affiliated with Duke University Health System in heart and cancer

Keyserling Cancer Center

Breast Health Services—Upgrades in MRI

Major MRI Upgrades add quality & convenience
Thanks to recent upgrades to our MRI technology, Beaufort Memorial Hospital provides same-day bilateral breast MRI studies. Patients can now have both breasts imaged the same day with one contract dose. This allows women who are considered high risk for breast cancer a more convenient alternative for diagnosis and treatment.

Computer Aided Diagnostics
Also, the latest Computer Aided Diagnostics (CAD) tools were incorporated into Breast MRI Studies, making the readings more specific and accurate in identifying lesions. Breast MRI is increasing at a rate of 30% to 40% a year. This technology streamlines the processing and interpretation of these increasingly common studies. The system dramatically cuts the time radiologists need to read a breast MRI, provides higher-quality images and more detailed information to guide treatment planning. The technology may also reduce the false-positive rate of manually read breast MRI’s.

MRI Guided Breast Biopsy
We also added a vacuum-assisted, MRI-compatible Biopsy Device, allowing biopsies to be performed during the MRI. This is extremely beneficial to our surgeons and patients, since some lesions cannot be seen well enough to biopsy using traditional stereo tactic or ultrasound techniques. Although other providers in our area are developing services, patients requiring biopsy under MRI had to travel to Duke or Jacksonville, Florida. Now the service can be provided right here at home.

8-Channel HD Systems
This new 8-channel MRI system allows the highest signal-to-noise ratio available; this enables both breasts to be imaged simultaneously. The new technology provides the highest resolution and quality available today. It improves the ability for staging and tracking therapy for those who choose to use Breast MRI for this purpose.

This will be especially important for our ER population, as well as for patients whose physicians feel they are at high risk, based on established risk factors for coronary artery disease.

“Our goal is to offer our physicians every tool possible to take the best care of their patients,” says Mock. “Our CT staff has been working for the last six months training and testing protocols to offer Coronary CTA to our physicians as another diagnostic study option. Training should be completed by the end of March, and the full service will be available in early April.” For more information, call 522-5668.

Due to the state laws and strict regulations, BMH and Broadriver Healthcare have received CON approval to provide PET Scans 2 days per week. Patients requiring this service will be scheduled through our Centralized Scheduling Department, which can be reached at 522-5015 and processed just as any other Imaging Service here at BMH.

We will be providing future information and education to our physicians since the requirements for a PET Scan, along with the patient prep, are very important. Future plans include moving the Mobile Unit onsite next to the Imaging Center once it is completed; it will be adjacent to the new Cancer Center. An additional day per week will be added as the service develops and/or utilization and need by our physicians dictates.

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