8 Memorial Medical Milestones • 2024 Issue 1 Stereotactic breast biopsy Precise technology, compassionate cancer care No one wants to hear “you have breast cancer,” but if you do, Memorial is here for you. One way Memorial is optimizing care close to home is by placing an emphasis on ensuring that women in SWLA have access to accurate and advanced breast healthcare without having to leave the region. Just as we use both eyes to see and interpret the depth of the environment around us, the stereotactic breast biopsy machine helps the doctor visualize the tissue of the breast from two different angles. These angles create a 3D image used to target and guide the biopsy needle to a precise location. Stereotactic breast biopsies are performed as an outpatient procedure. There’s minimal pain and no scarring. The Memorial difference By cutting down the time of a conventional biopsy, the technology available at Lake Charles Memorial gives patients a less invasive procedure, a higher level of comfort and better accuracy—leading to earlier diagnosis of breast cancer and earlier treatment for SWLA women. Radiologists Richard Martinez, MD, and Mark Trahan, MD, work with general and breast surgeon Amanda Ellington, MD, and the rest of the radiology and cancer navigation team. From suspicious find to treatment, they provide timely care for patients with breast cancer. LCMHS takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership, along with other standards, results in improved patient care. Recognized for quality since 1993 The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons, has re-granted three-year accreditation to the cancer center at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet rigorous quality care standards; go through a survey process every three years; and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered care. We’ve proudly held this accreditation since 1993. “It’s all about the patient experience—giving them an answer quickly, reducing anxiety and walking with each patient on their journey.” —Amanda Ellington, MD
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