Vim & Vigor - Summer 2018 - Community Healthcare - 5

of women and make the procedure as
streamlined as possible.
Community Hospital's Women's
Diagnostic Center in Munster was the
first in Northwest Indiana to introduce
the Brevera biopsy system. The technology enables the radiologist to retrieve tissue samples while simultaneously taking
images and preparing the specimen for
the laboratory. This makes for a quicker
procedure than other methods of biopsy.
"The Brevera biopsy system takes
an X-ray every time a tissue piece is
acquired to provide faster, more accurate biopsies," explains Suzanne Ruiz,
RN, NP-C, breast health navigator and
supervisor, Women's Diagnostic Center,
Munster. "This helps to improve the
timing and make the overall procedure
more comfortable for the patient."
St. Catherine Hospital's Women's
Diagnostic Center has the Affirm
upright breast biopsy guidance system
to improve accuracy and speed up diagnosis for a wider range of patients. The
system is also available in Munster.
"We can locate and target lesions
quickly and change imaging to intervention mode for biopsy within minutes,"
says Thomas Hoess, MD, chairman
of St. Catherine Hospital's Radiology
department. "The advantage of the
Affirm biopsy system is there is no
weight limit and the patient does not
need to lie down to have the biopsy
performed. It is more comfortable. We
can accommodate all shapes and sizes
because the chair can turn, tilt and lie
nearly flat. We have more angles available to position the needle for biopsy."

FAST Screening Trial

Through a partnership with the
Women's Diagnostic Centers of
St. Mary Medical Center and the
Valparaiso Health Center, the
Cancer Research department of
Community Healthcare System participated in the FAST MRI clinical trial.
The study compared MRI screening for
women with dense breast tissue with
tomosynthesis or 3-D mammography.

Nearly 300 patients were screened
and 76 enrolled in the clinical trial,
making Community Healthcare
System one of the leading enrollment
sites in the country for this study.
"Through the trial, we had an opportunity to provide education about the
importance of regular screening mammography to a lot of patients who
weren't even getting mammograms,"
says Janushi Dalal, MD, fellowshiptrained breast radiologist on staff
at Community Healthcare System
Women's Diagnostic Centers. "With
each screening mammogram, women
are empowering themselves by protecting their health."

Radiologist Mary Nicholson, MD, shows
nurse Kimberly Smith how the Brevera
biopsy system takes an X-ray every time a
tissue piece is acquired to provide faster,
more accurate biopsies.

High Risk Breast Clinics

Community Healthcare System's High
Risk Clinics are helping women understand and manage the risk for developing breast cancer and other types
of cancer as well. The clinics provide
education, surveillance options and
prevention strategies to help women
with increased risk factors reduce their
chances of cancer.
"Genetic testing may help some
individuals learn whether or not they
have an increased likelihood of developing a certain type of cancer or
whether inherited factors have contributed to their own or a family member's
cancer," says Janice Zunich, MD, director of Community Healthcare System's
Cancer Genetics Risk program.
Certified nurse practitioners at the
hospitals of Community Healthcare
System offer peace of mind and help
those at increased risk for cancer find
out about their options. ■

There is no weight limit with the Affirm biopsy
system, available in Munster and East Chicago.
That means the patient does not need to lie
down to have a biopsy performed and is more
comfortable. The chair can accommodate
all shapes and sizes and can turn, tilt and lie
nearly flat.

WEBSITE

Cancer Care Close to Home
To learn more about cancer care at the hospitals of Community Healthcare
System, visit comhs.org/cancer.

SUMME R 2018

http://www.comhs.org/cancer

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2018 - Community Healthcare