Sectra’s largest digital mammography project in Sweden: Östergötland County council orders Sectra MicroDose Mammography

Östergötland County Council in Sweden is investing SEK 16 million in systems for digital mammography from the IT and medical technology company Sectra. The system, Sectra MicroDose Mammography, provides the lowest radiation dose on the market and promotes a safe, ergonomic and efficient mammography examination.

”The transition to digital mammography is in full swing and the installation of digital mammography in Östergötland is our largest mammography project in Sweden to date,” says Marie Ekström, President of Sectra Skandinavien AB. The digital system will replace existing analog equipment at three breast screening clinics in the region. Combined with Sectra’s system for processing and archiving of patient data and images, the clinics are now establishing a complete digital solution. The images are reviewed on computer screens and all developing and heavy film processing will be eliminated. The radiologists are provided images more rapidly and the technologists benefit from an improved ergonomic working environment. ”A transition to digital mammography provides a number of advantages compared with today’s operations,” says Jan Kåredal, Director of the Center for Medical Imaging at Östergötland County Council. ”One major benefit is that the digital equipment reduces the radiation dose for the patients. This is extremely important for screening operations in which healthy women are examined on a relatively frequent number of occasions on a recurring basis." ”When you move from film-based operations, major environmental improvements are achieved through eliminating the film developing process. Moreover, the digital technology provides the conditions for a more efficient workflow, with substantially improved ergonomics for personnel. With the digitization of mammography, all of our radiology operations in the County Council are digital,” continues Jan Kåredal. With Sectra's assistance, Östergötland County Council was the first in Sweden with an entirely film-free X-ray department in 1993. Mammography in the Östergötland region Women in Östergötland have been provided the opportunity to participate in a screening program since the 1970s. All women between the ages of 40-74 are invited every second year to a health examination and a total of 35,000 mammography examinations are carried out in the county each year. The aim is to detect breast cancer at an early stage when treatment has the greatest effect. Early detection saves lives and reduces healthcare costs.