St. Bernards recently received a new mobile mammography unit, which will help the health system offer more mammograms across northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.
The new “Ma’am Mobile” will replace the former unit, which was purchased in 2004 and has logged more than 180,000 miles, offering mammograms to women across an 18-county service area.
The unit visits hospitals without mammography services, as well as community events, factories and other industries, schools, health departments and doctors’ offices. The current unit provides an average of 2,000 mammograms each year and the new vehicle will increase that number.
The new mobile mammography unit features the latest in mammogram technology including breast tomosynthesis, a specific type of breast imaging that uses low-dose x-rays to detect cancer early.
This equipment, which is the latest in mammography technology, allows radiologists to view the breast in three dimensions, increasing cancer detection up to 20 percent in women with dense breasts.
“The imaging team has been working hard the last several years to ensure every woman in our region has access to a mammogram and this new unit will allow us to expand those services even further,” said Alicia Storey, director of imaging services at St. Bernards. “We are thrilled to bring this cutting-edge equipment into communities across northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.”
The new “Ma’am Mobile” was funded by private donors including Associated Radiologists, Ltd. Physicians including Dana Coker, MD; John Faircloth, DO; Holly Gonzales, MD; Larry Johnson, MD; Seth Little, MD; Cade Martin, MD; Mark Newman, MD; Richard Reinholtz, MD; Chris Ryen, DO; Zeke Shotts, MD and Michael Smith, MD.
Other donors include Arkansas Continued Care Hospital; Drs. Roger and Connie Hill; Dr. Abdel-Karim and Dr. Al-Shahrouri; Dr. and Mrs. Humdum Durrani; Dr and Mrs. Mazen Khalil; Dr. and Mrs. John Lynch; Dr. and Mrs. Marc Monte and Dr. Christian Okoye.
For more information on mobile mammography services at St. Bernards, or to request a mobile mammography visit to your area, please contact the St. Bernards Healthline at 870.207.7300.