Healthy Habits: SmartCurve Mammograms

Dr. Stephen Rose, M.D., Solis Mammography’s director of clinical research, is driven to help women live long, healthy lives. Which is why he helped develop a better, more accessible mammogram technology because current mammography technology has become something of a barrier to treatment for some women.

Dr. Rose saw troubling statistics pop up over the last few years and knew action was required. The disturbing news on mammograms and breast cancer included:

·       An estimated 266,120 new cases breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., with 40,920 anticipated deaths this year

·       About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime

·       Kaiser Family Foundation reported that around 27 percent of women age 40 and older skipped having had a mammogram within the last two years

·       A study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that about 12 percent of the mammograms produced a false positive

·       The study also found that 22 percent of women receiving false positives were not likely to return for a mammogram in the next year

Dr. Rose saw the number of women still suffering through breast cancer as well as those skipping possibly life-saving mammogram scans. As a pioneer in developing new, 3-D mamogram technology, he knew that women reacted poorly to false positives that caused much doubt and fear. He also knew that the current mammography technology causes pain and discomfort, which was also a barrier to women having a needed scan.

“Since the invention of the mammogram in 1960, women have been subjected to technology that leaned toward practicality while neglecting the female form,” Said Dr. Rose. “Mammograms are an important, life-saving exam, but pain and discomfort have been a barrier for many women.” 

To help remove these barriers Dr. Rose partnered with Hologic, to develop the SmartCurve™ technology. SmartCurve technology provides a more comfortable experience that integrates 3D technology for even greater accuracy.  SmartCurve technology has a curved compression surface that mirrors the shape of a woman’s breast for ultimate comfort and accuracy. This revolutionary technology improves the patient experience by 93 percent, reduces calls back for negative-positives up to 40 percent and detects an average of 48 percent more invasive breast cancers.

Today, SmartCurve is being rolled-out in the more than 50 Solis Mammography clinics around the country. Dr. Rose is also pushing additional awareness for women’s health by promoting October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month by using the #everywoman campaign that encourages women to practice breast health that includes self exams and appropriate SmartCurve scans.

“For decades, Solis Mammography has been shaping the future of mammograms in both the imaging technology innovation, as well as the entire experience for women,” said Rose. “We’re celebrating women by launching SmartCurve technology in all of our centers nationwide. We’re continually thinking ahead of the curve to deliver the best breast wellness experience for women.”

Find a center with SmartCurve mammography
With more than 50 centers, Solis Mammography serves patients across North Texas; Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; Columbus, Ohio; Greensboro, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and, through our affiliated brand Washington Radiology, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Learn more about Solis Mammography, www.solismammo.com. Our centers promise:

• State-of-the-art screening services and technicians: Advanced mammograms with exceptional clinical accuracy paired with specialized radiologists and technologists with a 100 percent dedicated focus on mammography.
• Convenient and welcoming centers: Center locations across all markets that focus on being warm and welcoming to make patients feel relaxed.
• Patient-first mentality: From providing fast results for screening mammograms to a heritage of continuous improvement and innovation on behalf of our patients.

About Solis Mammography
The nation's largest independent provider of breast screening and diagnostic services, Solis Mammography has been dedicated to helping women achieve and maintain breast health and peace of mind for more than 30 years and more than 5 million procedures. As a pioneer and innovator in 3D mammography and as an architect and early advocate for SmartCurve, Solis Mammography has stayed at the forefront of breast health by continuing to deliver a better experience and a more accurate mammogram to the generations of women we serve.

For more information, visit SolisMammo.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram andTwitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel.