New Breast Imaging Centre Opens at West Suffolk Hospital

14 October 2002

A new Breast Imaging Centre has opened at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds with the capacity to double the number of breast screenings.

The Centre took six months to build at a cost of £400,000. A further £94,000 has been spent on new equipment for the unit, which will treat women with any type of breast problem.

Whereas the previous centre could cope with 150 breast screenings a week, its replacement can handle 300. Two extra radiographers have been recruited to deal with the increased workload. An extra mammography unit, two new processors, a film handling unit and a rollerviewer to assist diagnosis will help them.

As well as the mammography units, which take X-rays, an ultrasound scanner is used to improve the detection rate for breast cancers. The scanner is also useful for biopsies and for women under 35, for whom X-rays are not effective. A new one will be bought in the near future with money fundraised by patient Lisa Eaden.

 "We are very excited and pleased to have moved into the new Breast Imaging Centre, which is a massive improvement on the old one," said Lynne Bambury, superintendant radiographer. "It is about three times the size of what we are used to, and is a much more pleasant environment. A lot of patients have commented how much they like it. We now have the luxury of windows, and can see what the weather is like!

"It is great to be able to significantly improve the quality of patient care. In the past, when we did a screening we only had the capacity to take one view of the breast. Now we can take two views, which increases our cancer detection rate and ultimately saves lives.

"The recruitment of two extra radiographers is another major bonus for us. There is a shortage of radiographers nationally, and recruitment is often problematic. The new Breast Imaging Centre, with its state-of-the-art equipment, undoubtedly contributed to their decision to join us.

"Technology in the field of breast care is improving at a dramatic rate, making detection and treatment more effective. We now have a Breast Imaging Centre filled with the best equipment currently available."

The next phase of development for breast care at the West Suffolk Hospital will involve connecting the Breast Care Unit, currently in the outpatient department, to the Breast Imaging Centre.