San Ramon Regional Medical Center Spotlights Breast Health

SAN RAMON, CA -- One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime. And in light of this, San Ramon Regional Medical Center is putting its breast health services in the spotlight in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

Among the services the medical center offers are:

• Mammograms:

The Breast Center at San Ramon Regional Medical Center has said that it is making it easier than ever for women to get their routine screenings, including offering same day appointments. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a good time to schedule a mammogram.

Annual mammograms are an important part of a woman’s wellness routine, generally beginning at age 40. Those who would like to schedule a mammogram, or have questions about the health procedure, may call (925) 275-6116 or visit www.sanramonmedctr.com.

• Breast Health Webinar:

San Ramon Regional Medical Center hosts a virtual presentation about the importance of mammograms and early breast cancer detectionat noon at Oct. 20. Breast cancer nurse Midge Griffin will be presenting, and she'll also discuss what patients can expect when they come to our Breast Center for their mammogram. This virtual presentation is free and open to the community. To register, visit sanramonmedctr.com/events.

• 3D Mammography:

The Breast Center at San Ramon Regional Medical Center is proud to offer 3D mammography for breast cancer screening. Breast cancer screening with 3D mammography when combined with a conventional 2D mammography has a 40% higher invasive cancer detection rate than conventional 2D mammography alone.

The 3D mammography system offers exceptionally sharp breast images, and an advanced design providing more patient comfort. The mammography platform is designed to deliver superior screening and diagnostic performance for all breast types. It produces a three-dimensional view of the breast tissue that helps radiologists identify and characterize individual breast structures without the confusion of overlapping tissue.

3D breast mammography is especially valuable for women receiving a baseline screening, those who have dense breast tissue and/or women with a personal history of breast cancer.

• Breast Cancer Surgery Technology:

San Ramon Regional Medical Center utilizes SCOUT Wire-Free Radar Breast Localization System technology to provide easier, more compassionate care to women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

This technology has been shown to decrease patient discomfort and improve patient satisfaction. SCOUT uses non-radioactive, radar technology to provide real-time surgical guidance during breast surgery. Rather than placing a wire immediately before surgery, a reflector is placed in the target tissue prior to the day of surgery at the patient’s convenience. During surgery, the SCOUT guide uses real-time distance measurement guidance to accurately detect the location of the reflector – and the tumor to within 1mm of accuracy.

The ability to precisely locate tumors increases the probability of complete cancer removal and reduces the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries – a huge advantage for early-state breast cancer patients.