Patients receiving breast care at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown now have access to an advanced imaging technology that gives physicians another tool to evaluate breast abnormalities and detect potential signs of breast cancer that may be harder to find on a standard mammogram.
The Midtown Center for Breast Health is the first in Middle Tennessee to offer contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), an advanced form of breast imaging that combines traditional mammography with an intravenous contrast agent. The technology can help highlight areas of increased blood flow in the breast, providing additional information for physicians when evaluating certain breast findings. Since the program’s launch in July, CEM has already helped physicians identify two very small breast cancers, including an invasive cancer that was not visible on 3D mammography.
CEM can be particularly helpful for women with dense breast tissue, patients who have had a lumpectomy within the past five years, and certain high-risk patients who cannot undergo breast MRI. The addition of CEM gives patients another option for breast imaging and expands access to advanced breast care close to home.
“Contrast-enhanced mammography gives us both the familiar anatomic detail of a mammogram and important functional information about how breast tissue takes up contrast,” said Dr. Dana N. Bonaminio, director of Breast Imaging for Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Center for Breast Health. “This can help us see suspicious areas that may be difficult to distinguish on a standard mammogram, particularly in women with dense breast tissue.”
CEM may be used in certain situations when additional breast imaging is needed, including for patients with a suspicious finding or when physicians need more information following a conventional mammogram or other breast imaging. The technology can provide enhanced images of the breast during a single examination, helping physicians determine the next steps in a patient's care.
Talk to your care team about breast imaging options
CEM is not intended to replace routine screening mammograms. Mammography remains an important tool for breast cancer screening. Patients should continue to follow the screening schedule recommended by their clinician.
If you have been referred for additional breast imaging, have a breast concern or have questions about whether contrast-enhanced mammography may be appropriate for you, talk with your health care provider or breast care specialist about your imaging options. Patients should follow their recommended breast screening schedule and discuss any changes or concerns with their provider.
To learn more about breast imaging and services available at the Midtown Center for Breast Health, visit Ascension Saint Thomas Breast Health webpage or call 615-284-5239.
The Midtown Center for Breast Health brings breast imaging, diagnostic services and specialized care together to support patients throughout the breast health journey. Adding CEM provides physicians and patients with another option as they work together to identify and evaluate breast abnormalities.
“Not every patient or every clinical question is best served by the same imaging test,” said Dr. Bonaminio. “Adding CEM allows us to tailor imaging more precisely to each patient while providing timely answers and advanced breast care here in our community.”
