Mammography involves taking X-rays of the breast tissue. The breast is placed between two support plates and then compressed for the photo. “This can be very painful and that is also the reason why some women opt out of the examination,” says radiologist Nora Voormolen. In the search for a better alternative, LUMC radiologists came across a new research method, Mamma CT. “We have been following the developments of this method in Germany for some time and are now the first Dutch hospital with this device,” says radiologist Martin Wasser.
Dense breast tissue
“The device looks like a large bed and contains an opening for the chest. The woman can therefore simply lie on her stomach and the images are made within 12 seconds, without compression of the breast. You can imagine that this is much more comfortable than mammography,” says Wasser.
But that is by no means the only advantage. “In women with a lot of dense breast tissue, some abnormalities on the 2D mammogram image are not clearly visible. They therefore receive an MRI scan, but this is also not very comfortable and the examination takes a long time. Because Mamma CT can create detailed 3D images, we can hopefully save these women a time-consuming scan. However, as with MRI, contrast medium must sometimes be administered before the CT”, says Voormolen.
Good alternative
Due to the corona crisis, the radiologists had to wait a long time for the device to arrive in the breast section of the Radiology Department, part of the Leiden Oncology Center. They can’t wait to start using the device. “I am really looking forward to working with the Mamma CT. But it is especially great that we can now offer something to women for whom the mammogram is not an option,” says Voormolen.
By: National Care Guide
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