Trident Breast Care Center staff train on their new 3D mammography unit. It will be one of three units at the center.
More than 30,000 Women Choose Trident Health Each Year for Their Mammogram
Charleston, SC - Trident Health announces it is investing $2 million in 3D mammography in order to expand access to the technology to women in South Carolina's Lowcountry. This year, more than 30,000 women will choose to have their mammogram at a Trident Health facility - Trident Breast Care Center, Summerville Medical Center or Moncks Corner Medical Center.
Radiologist John McGue, MD says, "Studies show that 3D mammograms reduce the need for additional imaging and increase the number of cancers detected during screening. Early detection is a key to breast cancer treatment."
The expansion is scheduled to be completed in November 2019. It will include three 3D mammography machines at Trident Breast Care Center, which is on the campus of Trident Medical Center, and one each at Summerville Medical Center and Moncks Corner Medical Center. The addition of 3D mammography to Moncks Corner Medical Center means easier access for women in Berkeley County's rural communities.
Compared to 2D (two dimensional) mammography 3D (three dimensional) mammography creates a 3D picture of the breast using x-rays. Several low-dose images from different angles around the breast are used to create the 3D picture. A conventional mammogram creates only a two-dimensional image of the breast from two x-ray images of each breast.
Women are encouraged to talk with their doctors about which mammogram image is best for them. To schedule an appointment at either Trident Breast Care Center, Summerville Medical Center or Moncks Corner Medical Center, call (843) 797-8854.