The Appeal

One in eight*  women will develop breast cancer and one in four of these women will die from this disease. Three hundred men are diagnosed each year in the UK with breast cancer.   Unfortunately more and more young people are being diagnosed.

The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the rate of survival.  The time has come for DCH to replace the film-based X-ray equipment in the Breast  Unit  and it makes sense to use this opportunity to move to Digital Mammography.

What further impresses the need for digital mammography is the current national shortage of consultant radiologists with expertise in imaging and interpreting breast radiographs. We need to attract and retain the best consultants and to “future-proof” this service at our Hospital, and therefore must keep abreast of technological advancements. 

Advantages of Digital Imaging include:

• instant images
• less time waiting for diagnosis
• more patients examined during a clinic
• far superior image production
• detection of smaller and finer pathologies, especially in younger women
• instant access to expertise in other centres of excellence
• no exposure of staff to developing chemicals

If we do not act fast and address this need we will lose the opportunity to access expert opinion either on or off campus.  Many consultants will not work with outdated images and compromise their professional reporting and radio and modern training for radiologists is on the new digital equipment.

Obsolete methods will lose our hospital expertise and will ultimately result in the end of this critical service at Dorset County Hospital. When troubled with illness, whether for ourselves or loved ones, we all want to know that help is on our doorstep. Will you help us achieve our goal?

Once our Hospital goes digital we will link more closely with other centres of excellence and the Poole-based Dorset Breast Screening Unit.

*in the first week of February 2011, the figures quoted changed from one in nine, to one in eight following data released