Bridgton Hospital held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week with the arrival of its new 3D mammography technology that is now available to patients.

Bridgton Hospital is the only facility in the Lakes Region to offer 3D breast imaging for women who are undergoing a screening mammogram. Also known as tomosynthesis, 3D mammography is a safe and proven technology that has many benefits over traditional 2D methods, including:

• More accurate findings

• Earlier diagnosis

• Better detection in dense breast tissue

• Fewer callbacks for false alarms

Prior to the ribbon cutting for the new equipment, Stephany Jacques, RN, interim president, Bridgton Hospital, spoke during a brief gathering to Central Maine Healthcare team members and other guests including Central Maine Healthcare board member and local businesswoman Marney Chalmers, and distinguished members of the former Bridgton Guild.

Jacques said Bridgton Hospital is already seeing an increase in the number of women making appointments for 3D mammography.

“As we approach October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we especially encourage women in the community to come in and get their mammography screenings,” she said. “These routine exams could really be lifesaving.”

Also, in attendance was Alissa Noble, who is lead mammographer at Bridgton Hospital. Noble, who screens patients using the new equipment, had her own breast cancer diagnosis 10 years ago, which she says allows her to understand what patients are going through.

“I still worked in medical imaging when I was on the other side of the hospital, undergoing chemo,” she said. “It gave me a different perspective and really helped me understand our patients concerns.”

The addition of the 3D mammography unit was made possible through donations from the Bridgton Hospital Guild and the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.

Bridgton Hospital, in partnership with Central Maine Healthcare, offers a multidisciplinary team of women’s breast health specialists, including expert guidance in abnormalities, breast surgery and reconstruction.

Patients can schedule a breast cancer screening appointment by calling 207-777-8080.