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3D Mammography

We offer 3D Mammograms and mammograms.

3D Mammography

New SmartCurve™ breast stabilization system and Clarity HD high-resolution 3D™ imaging technology now available on the Genius™3D Mammography™ exam improve patient comfort without compromising image quality, workflow or dose.

 Potosi, Missouri  – July 27, 2021 — Washington County Memorial Hospital is the first in our Missouri Region to offer the SmartCurve breast stabilization system, which is clinically proven to deliver a more comfortable mammogram without compromising image quality, workflow or dose, and the new Clarity HD high-resolution 3D™ imaging technology, which provides radiologists with the highest resolution 3D™ images2 to help identify cancers early. These innovations come as part of  Washington County Memorial Hospital’s ongoing commitment to superior breast cancer detection and providing an improved mammogram experience for our patients. The technology increases diagnostic confidence with its exceptional images and has the potential to increase screening volume and compliance for the countless women who have reported avoiding regular mammograms due in large part to the fear of discomfort associated with breast compression.

The SmartCurve system and Clarity HD high-resolution 3D™ imaging technology are available exclusively with Hologic’s GeniusÔ 3D MammographyÔ exam, which is currently in use by Washington County Memorial Hospital and detects more invasive cancers, reduces false positives, and is FDA approved as superior, compared to conventional 2D mammography for all women, including those with dense breasts.3,4,5

“These new technologies not only enable us to improve the experience for our patients by providing them with a more comfortable mammogram they’ve been waiting for, but more importantly allow us to do so while maintaining clinical accuracy by providing our physicians with the industry’s fastest, highest resolution 3D™ images to accelerate screening and analysis,” said Louba Laurie, MD, Clinical Radiologist at Washington County Memorial Hospital “Being able to arm doctors with the advanced ability to identify subtle lesions and fine calcifications and help pinpoint cancers in early stages, while also keeping patients more comfortable than ever before, is priceless,”  Dr. Laurie added.

The SmartCurve system features a proprietary curved surface that mirrors the shape of a woman’s breast to reduce pinching and allow better distribution of force over the entire breast. In a recent clinical study comparing the SmartCurve breast stabilization system to traditional flat paddle compression, the SmartCurve system improved comfort in 93 percent of women who reported moderate to severe discomfort with standard compression.1 In addition, 95 percent of those surveyed would recommend facilities that use the system.1

“With the installation of this unit and its Clarity High-Resolution Detector, we can provide our patients with the lowest dose, most accurate and highest resolution 3D Mammogram of any unit within 250 miles of WCMH.  This new technology at WCMH is the best available to the world in St. Louis, Rolla or Cape Girardeau,” said Randy Dunn, RT(R), Director of Radiology at Washington County Memorial Hospital

“We’re excited to provide these breakthrough technologies for all of our patients and remain committed to offering the women of our community the most advanced breast care possible alongside an improved mammogram experience,” said Michele Meyer, CEO at Washington County Memorial Hospital.

 The GeniusÔ 3D MammographyÔ exam is only available on a Hologic® 3D Mammography™ system. The exam consists of a 2D and 3D™ image set, where the 2D image can be either an acquired 2D image or a 2D image generated from the 3D™ image set. There are more than 5,000 Hologic 3D Mammography™ systems in use in the U.S., so women have convenient access to the Genius exam.

To learn more about the GeniusÔ exam, visit http://www.Genius3DNearMe.com.


Hologic, 3D, 3D Mammography, Dimensions, Genius, Selenia, SmartCurve and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Smith, A. Improving Patient Comfort in Mammography. Hologic WP-00119 Rev 003 (2017).

2 Data on file and from public sources, 2017

3 Results from Friedewald, SM, et al. “Breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” JAMA 311.24 (2014): 2499-2507; a multi-site (13), non-randomized, historical control study of 454,000 screening mammograms investigating the initial impact the introduction of the Hologic Selenia® Dimensions ® on screening outcomes. Individual results may vary. The study found an average 41% (95% CI: 20-65%) increase and that 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8-1.6) additional invasive breast cancers per 1000 screening exams were found in women receiving combined 2D FFDM and 3DÔ mammograms acquired with the Hologic 3D MammographyÔ system versus women receiving 2D FFDM mammograms only.

4 Bernardi D, Macaskill P, Pellegrini M, et. al. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis (3D mammography) with acquired or synthetic 2D mammography compared with 2D mammography alone (STORM-2): a population-based prospective study. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Aug;17(8):1105-13.

5 U.S. Food & Drug Administration Premarket Approval (PMA).  FDA.gov https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpma/pma.cfm?id=P080003 accessed June 5, 2017.