- Advanced breast imaging platform, Senographe Pristina;
expected to reshape the mammography experience with comfort,
confidence and clarity for Patients, Technologists and
Radiologists
- Purposefully Designed to help reduce pain, discomfort and
anxiety for patients
TORONTO, March 23, 2017 /CNW/ - GE Healthcare is
delighted to launch the new Senographe Pristina™, in our commitment
to fighting breast cancer by encouraging early detection. With the
new Senographe Pristina, our next generation mammography system,
we've completely redesigned the mammography experience to make
breast screening more comfortable and inviting.
Fear of pain is one of the most common reasons why women do not
schedule a mammogram. A recent study conducted by Evans, et.al,
found that painful exams explain why 25 to 46 per cent1
of women failed to return for further breast imaging. The study
concluded that effective pain-reducing interventions in mammography
are needed to encourage more women to come in for screening. The
target participation rate in Canadian organized breast cancer
screening programs is 70 per cent of eligible women2.
Currently all provincial programs fall below this
rate2.
Senographe Pristina features a range of ergonomic features that
are intentionally designed to enable patients to be more
comfortable. All parts in contact with the patient's breasts, for
example, have gentle, rounded corners for greater comfort. The
system features comfortable armrests that relax the pectoral
muscles to simplify positioning, compression and image
acquisition.
Traditional mammography systems compress the breast
automatically, which can be a source of considerable discomfort.
Senographe Pristina features a self-compression tool that helps
give women a sense of control by allowing them to manually adjust
the degree of breast compression. Under the direction of a
technologist, the patient can set compression to a level that feels
right for them.
Taken together, these design features mean that technologists
are better able to focus on precise positioning, making exams
easier and faster. Poor positioning is the cause of most clinical
image deficiencies that often require a rescan3.
"We are committed to fighting breast cancer by encouraging early
detection," says Heather Chalmers,
Canadian General Manager of GE Healthcare. "Senographe Pristina is
humanizing the mammography experience by increasing comfort and
reducing patient anxiety. The system's potential to help increase
the number of annual screening exams is an important step forward
in women's healthcare."
GE Healthcare worked closely with patients, technologists and
radiologists from Gustave Roussy Cancer Center to get critical
input to ensure the system would address the major pain points for
all three groups. Gustave Roussy is
one of the largest cancer treatment centers in Europe.
A study by Gustave Roussy
analyzing patient response to the new mammography system found that
83 per cent of patients4 surveyed were extremely
satisfied with the exam.
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides
transformational medical technologies and services to meet the
demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable
healthcare around the world. GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that
matter – great people and technologies taking on tough challenges.
From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and
diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing
technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare
helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their
patients.
_________________________
1
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Whelehan P, Evans A,
Wells M, Macgillivray S. The effect of mammography pain on repeat
participation in breast cancer screening: a systematic review.
Breast. 2013; 22(4):389–94.
|
|
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2
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Cancer Screening in
Canada: An Overview of Screening Participation for Breast, Cervical
and Colorectal Cancer,
http://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca
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3
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U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/MammographyQualityStandardsActandProgram/FacilityScorecard/ucm495378.htm
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4
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A.M. MOISEI, S.
Kinzelin, P. Troufléau, B. Boyer, L. Lemoine, P. Henrot; Vandoeuvre
les Nancy/FR (2011). Feasibility study of self-compression in
mammography, European Society of Radiology, C-2295, 4
|
SOURCE GE Healthcare