LONGMONT, Colo., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- A valuable yet little-known tool in the fight against breast cancer is available to area women at Twin Peaks Medical Imaging (TPMI) in Longmont. TPMI is one of the few centers in Boulder County that offers the advanced imaging capabilities of Breast MRI.
According to Dr. Brent Wahl, medical director of TPMI, Breast MRI is a physician-referred procedure used for specific reasons. It is not a replacement for traditional mammograms.
"Breast MRI is a very valuable tool in the fight against breast cancer, but it applies to specific situations," said Wahl. "It's really for women at high risk of breast cancer. That includes women who have tested positive for the breast cancer gene, who have had previous breast cancer, and high-risk women with mammograms that are difficult to interpret, usually due to very dense breast tissue."
Wahl said breast MRI is not a good replacement for routine mammograms because its high sensitivity for benign breast disease may lead to excessive and unnecessary further testing. Still, many women with unsuccessful mammograms or other special circumstances aren't aware that breast MRI is even an option for them.
"We had a woman in her 40s, for example, who was recently referred to us for breast MRI," said Wahl. "She underwent a breast MRI to prepare for surgery in one breast, and the MRI discovered a small area of cancer in the other breast. The cancerous lesion was extremely subtle on ultrasound and not seen at all mammographically. This second cancer was successfully removed."
TPMI is the most technologically advanced imaging center in Northern Colorado. It utilizes a 16-channel multislice computed tomography (CT) scanner that generates three-dimensional body images, enabling physicians to see inside a patient's body. TPMI also uses a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner that provides information that cannot be obtained from X-ray tests.
Scans available at TPMI include the heart scan, lung scan, whole body scan, virtual colonoscopy, and CT Angiography. For more information about these procedures, call 1-720-494-4777.
About Twin Peaks Medical Imaging
TPMI is a joint venture between Rocky Mountain Medical Imaging radiology group and Longmont United Hospital. Twin Peaks Medical Imaging is affiliated with Longmont United Hospital and provides MRI, X-ray and CT scans. It is located on the Longmont Medical Campus at 1551 Professional Lane, suite 155. TPMI serves the Boulder County region, including Longmont, Loveland, Firestone, Frederick, Boulder and Lafayette. For more information or to make an appointment, visit http://www.twinpeaksimaging.com/ or call 720-494-4777.
Twin Peaks Medical ImagingCONTACT: Dan Snyders, +1-303-623-1190, ext. 230, dan@armadamedical.com,or Kate Braniff, +1-303-623-1190, ext. 240, kate@armadamedical.com, both ofArmada Medical Marketing, for Twin Peaks Medical Imaging
Web site: http://www.twinpeaksimaging.com/