New MammoVan rolls out in July
When Boca Raton Regional Hospital debuted its Kathy Krickstein Pressel Mammo Van in
2010, the goal was to make mammograms quick, easy and convenient for as many women as possible. Eight years, 250,000 miles, 13,000 exams and 42 breast cancer detections later, the original Mammo Van is being retired, scrapped for parts.
But fret not — for in its stead BRRH is rolling out an upgraded, redesigned and expanded Mammo Van. As with the original, this second version was made possible through funding contributed by LPGA Tour player and Boca Raton resident Morgan Pressel Bush, who was 15 when her mother Kathy Krickstein Pressel died of breast cancer in 2003.
While its exterior may look similar to its predecessor, the interior is a different story.
Dr. Kathy Schilling, medical director of BRRH’s Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute, and Shakira Sarquis-Kolber, the institute’s director of imaging, both traveled to the Ohio manufacturer so they could customize the enlarged Mammo Van to their exact specifications.
“We wanted everything — the registration area, the dressing room, the exam room — to be relaxing and welcoming,” explained Sarquis Kolber.
The idea was to re-create the institute’s spa-like “sensory suites,” which Schilling noted are “are infused with calming fragrances and flat-screen TVs projecting soothing videos and photos.”
Amenities aside, what Schilling is most excited about in the new Mammo Van is the addition of the Senographe Pristina — a revolutionary, state-of-the-art 3-D digital mammography system that GE Healthcare introduced last fall and which Schilling was instrumental in creating.
And what about the Pristina — which Schilling jokingly rechristened “Vanessa” for its mobile identity — makes it revolutionary?
“The biggest complaint most women have about the mammography experience is the pain when their breasts are being compressed,” said Schilling.
“We partnered with GE Healthcare to address that — to design it in such a way that would make women more comfortable — and the Pristina has turned out to be truly transformative.”
Among the ways that the Pristina is superior to other mammography systems, according to Schilling:
The machine is quieter than other mammography systems.
The exam is faster (usually five to six minutes) — which means patients are exposed to less radiation.
The image detector’s rounded beveled corners reduce patients’ underarm pain.
By replacing conventional hand grips with soft, comfortable armrests, patients’ pectoral muscles are more likely to stay relaxed, which enables imaging technicians to better position patients’ breast tissue.
During the compression phase of the imaging, patients remain in control of how much, and how quickly or slowly, pressure is applied.
Diagnostic results are more accurate.
“During clinical testing, we found that the Pristina’s imaging is able to capture 5 percent more breast tissue,” said Schilling. “That means we can detect more cancers in their earliest stages, as well as have fewer false-positive results.”
Research has shown that around one-third of the women who should be undergoing annual mammograms bypass them. Sarquis-Kolber noted that when the Mammo Van makes one of its annual 200-plus site visits — which include local businesses, school districts, health fairs and places of worship, among others — the patients are often being screened for the first time.
“Women get to see that the experience is nothing to be feared,” said Sarquis Kolber.
In October, BRRH became the first hospital in the U.S. to offer the Pristina, and since then, Schilling said the hospital has “hosted training sessions for more than 40 different medical institutions that want to incorporate it into the facilities.”
For local entities interested in having the Mammo Van make a site visit, call 561-955-7130.