WESTFIELD — AHN Westfield Memorial Hospital is now offering mammography patients the SmartCurve breast stabilization system, which is designed to greatly minimize discomfort without compromising breast imaging quality, workflow or dose.

The system is paired with hospital’s new Clarity HD high-resolution 3D imaging technology which provides radiologists with the highest resolution 3D† images to help identify cancers early.

The new equipment come as part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to superior breast cancer detection and providing an improved mammogram experience for patients. The technology increases diagnostic accuracy and has the potential to increase screening volume and compliance for the countless women who have reported avoiding regular mammograms due in large part to the fear of discomfort associated with breast compression.

The SmartCurve system and Clarity HD high-resolution 3D imaging technology is available exclusively with Hologic’s Genius 3D Mammography exam, which is currently in use by WMH and has shown to detects more invasive cancers and result in fewer false positives compared to conventional 2D mammography for all women, including those with dense breasts.

“These new technologies not only enable us to improve the experience for our patients by providing them with themore comfortable mammogram they’ve been waiting for, but more importantly allow us to do so while maintaining clinical accuracy by providing our physicians with the industry’s fastest, highest resolution 3D images to accelerate screening and analysis,” said Lara Whitesell, radiology supervisor at WMH. “Being able to arm doctors with the advanced ability to identify subtle lesions and fine calcifications and help pinpoint cancers in early stages, while also keeping patients more comfortable than ever before, is priceless.”

The SmartCurve system features a proprietary curved surface that mirrors the shape of a woman’s breast to reduce pinching and allow better distribution of force over the entire breast. In a recent clinical study comparing the SmartCurve breast stabilization system to traditional flat paddle compression, the SmartCurve system improved comfort in 93 percent of women who reported moderate to severe discomfort with standard compression. In addition, 95 percent of those surveyed would recommend facilities that use the system.

“We’re excited to provide these breakthrough technologies for all of our patients and remain committed to offering the women of our community the most advanced breast care possible,” said Rodney Buchanan, WMH administrator.

The Genius 3D Mammography exam is only available on a Hologic 3D Mammography system. The exam consists of a 2D and 3D image set, where the 2D image can be either an acquired 2D image or a 2D image generated from the 3D image set. There are more than 5,000 Hologic 3D Mammography systems in use in the U.S., so women have convenient access to the Genius exam. To schedule a mammogram using the new technology, call 716-793-2221..