New Mammogram Technology to Transform Langley’s Breast Health Services

Thanks to an anonymous local philanthropist, Langley Memorial Hospital (LMH) will welcome a new mammography machine into its screening clinic, bringing the latest breast imaging technology to patients in Langley.

Regular screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths by 25 per cent, according to BC Cancer. BC Cancer also cites that one in eight BC women will get breast cancer in their lifetime, and one in 28 women are expected to die from the disease. LMH’s mammogram screening clinic is one of 36 fixed mammography centres in BC.

However, the machine currently in use at LMH uses outdated technology and requires increasingly frequent repairs. For technologists, the old machine presents its own struggles. They must restart the equipment often just to keep it operational. Each restart takes as long as a full patient scan, leading to delays in their busy schedule.

“Our mammography team takes pride in timely service, which our long-standing patients have come to expect. These unplanned delays can impact their day as well,” says Tammy Karoway, Medical Imaging Clinical Project Lead with Fraser Health, who oversaw Medical Imaging at LMH for many years.

The new mammography machine combines improved patient comfort with superior imaging technology. The upgraded equipment features smooth, ergonomic surfaces that help patients find and maintain comfortable positions during screening, while tomosynthesis produces detailed 3-D images by taking multiple X-rays at different angles, similar to CT scan technology.

Importantly, tomosynthesis allows radiologists to examine breast tissue layer by layer, making it easier to distinguish normal dense tissue from potentially concerning areas, particularly in women with dense breasts.

“Any time a patient is asked to go for additional imaging it always sparks a worry response. It often becomes nothing but still incites that fear.”

That anxiety will surely be quelled through the new machine’s accuracy, reduced waiting times for diagnostic results and shortened backlogs for screening appointments, Tammy Karoway adds.