Breast Center
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women. Merit Health Woman's Hospital provides helpful services to educate women on breast health, and encourage self-exams and routine screenings. We utilize imaging technology that may detect breast cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment can be most effective. The combination of caring technologists and imaging technology allows us to deliver quality care.
The Imaging Department at Merit Health Woman's Hospital is designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR recognizes breast imaging centers that have earned accreditation in all of the College's voluntary breast-imaging accreditation programs in addition to the mandatory Mammography Accreditation Program. The breast imaging services at Merit Health Woman's Hospital Breast Imaging Center are fully accredited in:
ACR evaluations conducted by experts in the field have determined that this facility has achieved high practice standards in:
- Image quality
- Personnel qualifications
- Facility equipment
- Quality control procedures
- Quality assurance programs
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy
In addition to standard radiation and surgical treatment for breast cancer, Merit Health Woman's Hospital offers intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT. This procedure allows early-stage cancer patients to undergo only one dose of radiation during surgery, which offers many benefits over the more common three-to-six week schedule.
Learn more about IORT.
Breast Surgery with Less Pain
The anesthesia team at Merit Health Woman's Hospital is now able to provide regional nerve blocks for all breast cancer patients requiring breast surgery and/or reconstruction. These long-acting local anesthetic injections, known as pectoralis and serratus fascial plane blocks, are administered using ultrasound guidance after the patient is asleep in order to provide:
- Decreased postoperative pain
- Reduced narcotic requirements
- Improved patient satisfaction
- Potentially reduced hospital stay
Learn more about breast surgery here.
For more information or to speak to the breast health navigator, call (601) 933-6159.