The Shands Jacksonville Breast Health Center recently acquired a brand new digital mammography unit, which includes digital breast tomosynthesis, and a new state-of-the-art digital biopsy table. Digital breast tomosynthesis is a recently FDA-approved technology that enhances a standard digital mammogram and is particularly useful with dense breast tissue. The digital biopsy table is designed to provide maximum comfort to patients while undergoing unpleasant extractions.
These equipment purchases were made entirely possible by money raised from the nonprofit Research Is The Answer (RITA) Foundation. RITA works with Shands Jacksonville’s Office of Development to donate money to the Breast Health Center through its annual Champions for Charity golf tournament. Building on proceeds from the last five tournaments, the center was able to purchase the $674,000 equipment that was installed in August.
“This is the newest technology and we’re the only ones regionally who can offer it,” said Susan Snodgrass, MD, a University of Florida associate professor of radiology at the Breast Health Center. “The tomosynthesis equipment cuts down on the number of biopsies we have to perform and it has already shown promising results. These are all very important features to patients, and we’re just very fortunate to have RITA as a partner. This is a very exciting time for us at the Breast Health Center.”