Constrast Enhanced Mammography Offered In Watford City

Watford City-It is with great excitement that McKenzie Health's Radiology Department is now offering contrast enhanced mammography (CEM)! The ability to offer this service was made possible by the following generous contributors: Enerplus, Rural Community Grant Fund, Paul and Sandi Wisness, Ardis Peterson, and Tammy James.

Providing this important service in Watford City will save patients a 200-mile drive one way to have the procedure performed. Same week appointments are available in Watford City for those that are recommended to receive a contrast enhanced mammogram following their screening mammogram. This same exam is scheduled out one month plus in other locations across the state, so the Radiology Department is pleased to be able to schedule patients more quickly, speeding up care when time is of the essence.

The goal for our radiology team is to catch breast cancers at annual screenings before patients present with symptoms giving them the best diagnosis and prognosis possible. Success is saving lives and accomplishing that through annual screenings while caring for patients and developing a relationship with them as they continue to return annually and as needed for callbacks requiring additional imaging. McKenzie Health's comprehensive breast care program now provides screening and diagnostic breast imaging services. Biopsies, with the addition of Dr. Leszek Jaszczak – radiologist, will be offered soon. Dr. Gillian Lavik – general surgeon, is providing lumpectomy procedures when/if needed.

CEM is less invasive and often recommended before a breast MRI which is much more expensive, uncomfortable, and requires traveling out of town to a different facility. CEM helps the radiologist determine if the suspicious area has blood flow present and whether it would require an MRI and/or biopsy. Many patients are spared the pain, cost, and inconvenience of a breast biopsy if the CEM is negative. Now offering CEM at McKenzie Health spares the patient prolonged anxiety over what the diagnosis could be, while waiting for their appointment at a department that is booked out weeks or even months. Our ease of local availability could save the patient's life by providing CEM. 

Pete Edis, McKenzie Health CEO, states, "The addition of contrast enhanced mammography at McKenzie Health is big news for residents. Thanks to our generous donors and talented radiology team, we can provide the most detailed images of the breast needed to help diagnose cancer. One of the cornerstones of healthcare is accessibility. Residents will no longer have to travel 1-3 hours, nor wait for months for a potentially lifesaving diagnosis, putting McKenzie Health at the forefront in the fight against cancer."

If you haven't had your annual mammogram, have your provider take care of a referral today! Questions? Please call 701-444-8800.