HICKORY, NC –
AUGUST 29, 2017 – Catawba Valley Medical Center’s New Mobile Mammography unit
will roll onto the road today to take advanced breast cancer screenings
and awareness to patients in the five counties it serves in Western North
Carolina. The new diagnostic center on wheels is equipped with both 2D
and 3D imaging technology and is the first such unit available in the area.
The bright pink mobile unit will provide approximately 4,000 mammograms
annually at more than 50 area businesses, community events, and various
other locations. Its first stop will be at Catawba Family Care Center
in downtown Hickory on Wednesday. The new unit continues a 20-year tradition
of serving women in Catawba, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Lincoln counties.
“We are excited to help make a greater difference in the fight against
breast cancer by offering advanced 3D technology that is proven to be
more accurate in detecting breast cancer particularly in those with dense
breast tissue,” says Honey Estrada, Coordinator of CVMC Health First
Center and Mobile Wellness. “We often hear how hard it is for busy,
working women to find time for medical appointments and the mobile breast
center offers convenience and privacy without sacrificing the level of
service that they would receive in an office.”
The 38-foot vehicle’s design features a private changing room and
spacious waiting area with an exam space where a female certified mammography
technician performs screenings. Appointments take about 15 minutes from
check-in to completion and images are interpreted by local board-certified
radiologists who send the confidential results to the patient and their
primary care provider. Current guidelines from the US Department of Health
and Human Services, the American College of Radiology, the American Medical
Association and the Society of Breast Imaging recommend annual screening
mammograms for all women, beginning at age 40 and are typically covered
100% by health insurance. A family history of breast cancer can also be
a factor, so women are encouraged to consult with their primary care provider
about recommendations for when and what type of mammogram is most appropriate.
Funding for the CVMC mobile mammography program was made possible through the
Catawba Medical Foundation and reflects the organization’s longstanding commitment to women’s
health issues and breast cancer education. To schedule a screening day
at your facility or to book an appointment at one of the locations most
convenient to you, call the CVMC Health First Center at 828.485.2300.