If you had the opportunity to see increased breast tissue on more than half of your mammographic images, would you take advantage of it?
What if the average increase in breast tissue acquired in each view were .61 cm?
Your mammography techs, your patients, your equipment, your results?
Well, 14 breast imaging centers took us up on the Bella Blankets Challenge to see if they could indeed capture more breast tissue with Bella Blankets protective coverlets.
464 patients later, the results are in:
Table 1. Summarization of Study Results
Images with increased breast tissue 54.8%
Average increase in tissue in each view .61 cm
Increased acquisition - CC view 53.3%
Increased acquisition - MLO view 56.2%
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Why is this significant?
One half of all malignant cancers are found in the upper outer quadrant of the breast. The goal of every mammographer is to capture as much breast tissue closest to the chest wall as is humanly possible. Making the task of positioning difficult, is the fact that no two breast are alike. Small breasts can slide out of position under compression. Skin folds are an issue with large breasts. Sweat causes the breast to slide on the receptor plate.
Receptor plate covers, such as Bella Blankets protective coverlets, help mammography technologists keep breasts in position. Textured material acts like a third hand to help control folds, slipping, and sliding.
.61 cm might not seem like much, but in a modality where every millimeter counts, being able to capture and view close to an additional quarter inch of breast tissue close to the chest wall is huge and can mean the difference between a detected cancer and an undetected one.
What value would improved tissue acquisition in 50% or more of your mammographic images hold for you, your radiologists, your imaging center, and more importantly, your patients? Take the Bella Blankets Challenge and ask for your evaluation kit today. Your mammography techs, your patients, your equipment, your results.
Need more info first? Visit the Bella Blankets Resource Library on our website (www.beekley.com) for case studies, videos, and more.
