$250,000 Gift to Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Breast Center Promises Earlier Detection for At-Risk Women in Montgomery County, MD

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Women at high-risk for breast cancer, especially those with dense breasts, have a new tool to improve early detection in Montgomery County, MD. Thanks to a generous donation to the Shady Grove Medical Center Foundation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Breast Center now has an Automated 3D Breast Ultrasound Device (ABUS). As a result, residents of suburban Maryland will no longer have to travel outside the area to receive a potentially life-saving early diagnosis. Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Breast Center is the only facility in Montgomery County to have this technology available.

For all cancers, early detection increases survival rates but for women with dense breasts getting an early diagnosis is challenging. For the 40% of women with dense breasts, mammograms often are not enough. Dense breast tissue and cancer appear white on a mammogram, which makes it difficult for radiologists to distinguish between the two, particularly in early stages. Adding enhanced, side-by-side screening with an automated breast ultrasound machine immediately increases early detection rates by 37% over mammography alone.

Not only is early detection difficult, but having dense breasts increases the likelihood that a woman will develop breast cancer by four to six times. Some 71% of all breast cancers are found in dense breasts. Sonya Kella, MD, Director of Women's Imaging at Adventist HealthCare shares that "making available 3D ultrasound technology will significantly improve diagnosis and survival rates in women with dense breasts. The addition of this state-of-art technology furthers our commitment to comprehensive women's imaging and breast cancer prevention." Furthermore, the exam takes just 15 minutes, reduces operation variability and enables comprehensive analysis and comparison to mammograms.

"Adventist HealthCare is pleased to add the ABUS to its state-of-the-art Breast Center on the Shady Grove Medical Center campus," comments Michael Calhoun, Associate Vice President, Imaging Services "It is with deep gratitude that we accept this generous gift." The ABUS is available and in use at the Shady Grove Breast Center. For appointments, call 301-590-8999.

Through generous gifts to Shady Grove Medical Center, Adventist HealthCare has been able to purchase state-of-the-art technology, improve our facilities, offer wellness classes that promote healing, and provide screenings and health services to underserved members of our community.

Adventist HealthCare, based in Gaithersburg, MD, is one of the longest serving health systems in the Washington, D.C., region, and one of the largest employers in Maryland. It includes Shady Grove Medical Center, Aquilino Cancer Center, White Oak Medical Center, Fort Washington Medical Center, Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, Home Care Services, Adventist Medical Group, Imaging and Urgent Care. Our mission is to extend God's care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. 

Contact:
Shanna Muschik
[email protected]
301-315-3330

SOURCE Adventist HealthCare