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Digital mammography comes to Bertrand Chaffee Hospital
Thursday April 21, 2011 | By:Jessie Owen, Journal editor
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- A NEW ERA — Pictured, from left, foreground: Bertrand Chaffee Hospital CEO Nils Gunnersen and Dr. Anne Ehrlich at the ribbon-cutting of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s new digital mammography machine. Also in attendance were various members of the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Foundation. Photo by Jessie Owen.
A NEW ERA — Pictured, from left, foreground: Bertrand Chaffee Hospital CEO Nils Gunnersen and Dr. Anne Ehrlich at the ribbon-cutting of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s new digital mammography machine. Also in attendance were various members of the Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Foundation. Photo by Jessie Owen.
It’s been two years in the making and 10 years in the dreams and hearts of those who work at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital.
Digital mammography has finally come to Springville, and BCH CEO Nils Gunnersen says it couldn’t have been done without local help. “Donations came from community-minded people coming together,” he said, thanking the more than 700 individuals and companies who contributed toward the cause.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the hospital on April 18 to unveil the new digital mammography machine, which cost approximately $300,000. “This is a great day for the community,” Gunnersen said. “Early detection saves lives.”
Radiologist Anne Ehrlich, who has worked at the hospital for almost 30 years, got to wield the scissors which cut the ribbon and opened up the future of mammography in Springville. “I thought I’d never see it by the time I retired,” she said, “and now we’ve got it here. People in rural communities deserve top-notch care - and now you’ve got it.”
The new machine utilizes computer-assisted diagnosis to enable the doctors to even more quickly identify masses, calcifications and distorted areas. “I can’t wait to look at the pictures!” Ehrlich said. “It adds another layer. The machine is looking, too.”
Although Ehrlich said there are no hard and fast rules, she recommends that women 40 years of age and older receive yearly mammograms. According to the hospital, “Digital mammography is different from conventional mammography in how the image of the breast is acquired and, more importantly, viewed. The radiologist can magnify the images, increase or decrease the contrast and invert the black and white values while reading the images. These features allow the radiologist to evaluate microcalcifications and focus on areas of concern.”
Ehrlich added, “We lost a lot of patients to digital mammography centers. I’m hoping that now they’ll come back and get their treatment locally.”
Technologists at BCH began to train on the new machine the week of April 18, and it was opened to patient care on April 20. For more information, call the hospital at 592-2871.
Digital mammography has finally come to Springville, and BCH CEO Nils Gunnersen says it couldn’t have been done without local help. “Donations came from community-minded people coming together,” he said, thanking the more than 700 individuals and companies who contributed toward the cause.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the hospital on April 18 to unveil the new digital mammography machine, which cost approximately $300,000. “This is a great day for the community,” Gunnersen said. “Early detection saves lives.”
Radiologist Anne Ehrlich, who has worked at the hospital for almost 30 years, got to wield the scissors which cut the ribbon and opened up the future of mammography in Springville. “I thought I’d never see it by the time I retired,” she said, “and now we’ve got it here. People in rural communities deserve top-notch care - and now you’ve got it.”
The new machine utilizes computer-assisted diagnosis to enable the doctors to even more quickly identify masses, calcifications and distorted areas. “I can’t wait to look at the pictures!” Ehrlich said. “It adds another layer. The machine is looking, too.”
Although Ehrlich said there are no hard and fast rules, she recommends that women 40 years of age and older receive yearly mammograms. According to the hospital, “Digital mammography is different from conventional mammography in how the image of the breast is acquired and, more importantly, viewed. The radiologist can magnify the images, increase or decrease the contrast and invert the black and white values while reading the images. These features allow the radiologist to evaluate microcalcifications and focus on areas of concern.”
Ehrlich added, “We lost a lot of patients to digital mammography centers. I’m hoping that now they’ll come back and get their treatment locally.”
Technologists at BCH began to train on the new machine the week of April 18, and it was opened to patient care on April 20. For more information, call the hospital at 592-2871.
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