DOVER-FOXCROFT – Mayo Regional Hospital’s Imaging Center for Women is completing installation of a new digital mammography system that produces precise electronic images of the breast that can be seen on a computer screen, rather than on X-ray film.

The new system represents an investment of $408,000 and is the largest single project included in Mayo Regional’s 2009 capital equipment budget, which totals more than $2.2 million overall.

“This is new and powerful technology for the detection and fight against breast cancer,” said Dr. Mark Piccirillo, Mayo radiologist. “Digital systems allow us to offer our patients state-of-the-art mammograms that are faster and easier than ever before. It gives physicians extremely accurate images to use in diagnosis.”

Digital mammograms take as little as half the time of film, according to Joann Lovell, Radiology Department director at Mayo, and if a second opinion is needed, the image can be sent electronically to a consulting physician instantaneously.