There was a distinct air of excitement one chilly morning in late October when a huge delivery truck arrived at the East Carroll Street offices of Salisbury Diagnostic & Breast Center (SDBC). Part of its cargo was a piece of Fuji state-of-the-art digital mammogram equipment, one of less than 100 countrywide. Susie Warwick, the facility’s clinical manager, didn’t miss a beat as she supervised the apparatus’ stately journey to its appropriate location while calmly making sure it was “business as usual” for the patients and staff.

We all know that early detection of breast cancer is crucial in improving the odds for survival. “With increased public awareness about self-examination, exams by physician and annual mammograms, the national number of survivors with breast cancer increased 23 percent between 1990 and 2000 and continues to increase today,” said Warwick. Yet, despite those encouraging statistics, breast cancer remains the second most common form of cancer and the second most deadly.

SDBC has been on the forefront of Delmarva’s fight against breast cancer since its beginning. With a combination of state-of-the-art technology, a dedicated staff, and community awareness programs, SDBC provides a line of defenses that is second-to-none on the Shore.

With the addition of a digital mammogram equipment to its armory, SDBC is providing Eastern Shore residents with an advantage that can make up the all-too-crucial difference between early diagnosis and successful treatment. A clinical study conducted on nearly 50,000 women by the National Cancer Institute showed that digital mammography is more accurate than traditional film-screening in detecting breast cancer particularly in women who are under 50, are menopausal and/or have dense breasts.

The main benefit to SDBC patients is that a digital image has a much higher and defined resolution than does the traditional analog mammogram. That means that any suspicious area can be enlarged and studied with more accuracy than was previously possible. For example, tiny calcium deposits — no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence — can indicate pre-cancerous activity long before a lump is felt. With digital technology, those and other anomalies can be more easily spotted.

With the no-film digital technology, there is no anxious waiting time while film is developed. The results are immediately viewed on the high-definition screen at an electronic workstation and most additional imaging can be taken while the patient is at SDBC. Consultation with other mammography specialists is simplified with the electronically stored images.

Clinical Manager Warwick is a member of the American Registry of Radiological Technologists and a past president of the Eastern Shore Chapter of the Maryland Society of Radiologic Technologists. In addition to credentials in bone density, Warwick also has extensive studies and credentials in quality management. An honors graduate of Wor-Wic Community College with supplementary education at Salisbury University, she frequently gives lectures in the community about breast and bone health.

“We’re a very close-knit team like highly skilled friends,” she says of her SDBC colleagues who include technologists Sue Ross (a 22-year employee), Sandy Clark, Kelly Courtney and Lori Smith, as well as support staffers Star Stephens (a 16-year employee) and Jamie Phillips.

Together they create an atmosphere of superb professionalism with sincere caring that is obvious from the moment you step through the door. Ongoing training assures their proficiency is up-to-date not only in digital mammography but other services provided by SDBC such as bone density testing, sonograms and vascular studies.
James W. Miller, MD, the SDBC radiologist, reads the digital mammograms and SDBC sends results to the patient’s physician. Miller is certified by the American Board of Radiology, the American College of Radiology and the Food and Drug Administration. He completed his residency and fellowship with the Maryland Medical System for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology.

As with other prescriptions, many people don’t realize that they are perfectly free to choose whichever provider they prefer when a doctor writes a prescription for a procedure. Most procedures are covered by insurance and SDBC is committed to fast appointment scheduling even working overtime to suit patients’ time constraints. A call to Star Stephens at 410-546-8400 will answer any questions you have regarding costs, insurance coverage and scheduling.
“Every breast is like a fingerprint,” said Warwick. “No two are alike. That’s why everyone needs the accuracy of digital mammography every year.” Choose the very best — choose SDBC.

Salisbury Diagnostic & Breast Center, 145 E. Carroll St., Salisbury, Md., in the rear of the H. Gray Reeves Professional Building, 410-546-8400.