Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hospital Launches New Mammography Services MammoPlus® and RiskPlus™ - a Smarter Mammogram and High Risk Program


Livonia, MI – As part of its new Comprehensive Breast Center, St. Mary Mercy Hospital is now offering a unique mammography service called MammoPlus®. Women utilizing this service are provided a digital mammogram PLUS a lifetime risk assessment for breast cancer at the time of their mammography, which offers much more than a traditional appointment and provides more information sooner.

It is estimated that one in 50 patients evaluated by a primary care physician is at increased risk because of his or her family history.1 “We want to provide our patients with a bigger picture than simply traditional breast cancer screening,” said Medical Oncologist Ramesh Mohindra, MD, Medical Director, Breast Health Services, St. Mary Mercy Hospital. “Regular mammograms are essential in the fight against breast cancer… a digital mammogram can detect breast cancer up to two years before the patient even experiences symptoms and this risk assessment provides an even more complete evaluation. The sooner breast cancer is discovered, or the threat of it, the better the chance of beating it,” he said.

The Smarter Mammogram
With MammoPlus® each patient is offered the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment as part of their standard mammography service. “This tool helps us gather information about the patient’s personal health and breast history that assist us in determining if she may be at increased risk for developing breast cancer,” said Diagnostic Services Director Mary Tocco, St. Mary Mercy Hospital. 

Should the patient’s MammoPlus® risk score require further review, she and her referring physician are alerted to her score right away and within 48 hours she will receive a call to discuss her MammoPlus® results, as well as have an appointment scheduled for a more in-depth high risk assessment. Following the assessment, she will undergo an interview with our High Risk Coordinator who develops the RiskPlus Analysis Report based on her answers to comprehensive questions about her personal and family risk. “Our High Risk Clinic is also available at the patient’s convenience to answer any questions about her personal risk,” added Tocco.

With this new service, St. Mary Mercy is proactively screening women for their breast cancer risk specific to their own risk level and identifying who is at highest risk, and acting on it quicker. “We always strive to detect cancers at their earliest stage, regardless of risk, but knowing a patient’s personal risk can increase our chances of detecting a cancer earlier and saving more lives,” said Tocco.

There is no additional cost for MammoPlus® — it is simply our version of the best mammogram service available. For more information about MammoPlus® at St. Mary Mercy Hospital, call 734-655-4216.

1 Murff HJ, Byrne D, Syngal S. Cancer risk assessment: quality and impact of the family history interview. Am J Prev Med 2004; 27: 239–45. 

About St. Mary Mercy Hospital
St. Mary Mercy Hospital is a 304-bed hospital providing acute-care medical and health services to our community by board-certified doctors and registered nurses. We provide the highest quality services with leading-edge technology in our 24-hour Emergency Center, Senior ER, Heart & Vascular Center, Cancer Center, Birthing Center, Women’s Center, Center for Joint Replacement, Inpatient and Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Units, Sleep Center, Wound Care Center, and Michigan Bariatric Institute. We also offer same-day diagnostic testing and a variety of community health education services.

For additional information about St. Mary Mercy, please visit www.stmarymercy.org.

For more information on health services offered at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, please visit www.stjoeshealth.org.