HealthAlliance Hospital MRI Center Offers Breast MR Imaging.
Leominster, MA – March 28, 2007. HealthAlliance Hospital MRI Center is pleased to offer breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to residents of north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. MRI of the breasts has emerged as a new technique in the evolution of breast disease.
Breast Imaging when used in conjunction with conventional mammography, provides valuable information for the detection and characterization of breast disease. Although it does not replace mammography it does provide additional diagnostic information. Breast MRI is performed for a number of reasons including: diagnosis of breast implant rupture, surgical planning, staging of breast cancer and treatment planning, post surgical and post radiation follow up, dense breast tissue evaluation and evaluating trouble areas identified through a mammogram or ultrasound.
The American Cancer Society has established a new set of cancer screening guidelines regarding the use of MRI in women at high risk for breast cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine also released a study supporting the use of this technology. “Breast MRI used in addition to standard methods such as mammography is an improvement in breast cancer screening technology for women at high risk including those with a previous history of breast cancer themselves, women with a known genetic risk for breast cancer, women with two or more close relatives with breast cancer, or women with a relative who developed breast cancer before age 40,” noted Dr. Philip Lowry, Medical Director of the Simonds-Sinon Regional Cancer Center at HealthAlliance Hospital. “While the MRI does represent an important advance, we must also be careful to appreciate that it is not a panacea and certainly does not replace traditional breast exams and mammography. Women should discuss the study results with their physician and determine if and how breast MRI fits into their particular screening needs.”
The HealthAlliance Hospital MRI Center – Leominster Campus is a collaborative partnership with Shields Health Care Group. The Center is open seven days a week with early morning and late night appointments to provide patients with convenient access and accommodate the growing need for MRI services. For more information about breast MRI, individuals should speak with their primary or specialty care physician.
About HealthAlliance Hospital
HealthAlliance Hospital is a full service, acute care hospital that serves the communities of north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. As a member of UMass Memorial Health Care, HealthAlliance Hospital offers direct access to the advanced medical technology and specialty services that are part of the region’s academic medical center. The HealthAlliance system includes a hospital with services on two campuses in Leominster and Fitchburg, a regional cancer center, a visiting nurse association, and several physician practices. For more information about HealthAlliance, visit www.healthalliance.com.
About Shields Health Care Group
Shields Health Care Group is an independent, New England-based medical imaging provider with a national reputation for blending exceptional customer service with superior technology. A family-owned and -operated business for over 25 years, Shields Health Care Group operates a network of 23 centers – providing the most advanced diagnostic imaging services.