One of the easiest and most effective ways to stay on top of your health is to stay on top of your yearly check-ups and regular screenings.
From the annual appointment with your primary care physician to the at-home skin self-exam, these all serve to help keep track of your health and react to any changes or concerns before they become bigger, even life-threatening, problems.
But there’s one simple screening that too often gets forgotten and postponed: the yearly mammogram.
There are many reasons why some women forgo this yearly screening, ranging from fear of diagnosis to simply feeling like they don’t have the time, but one concern continually rises to the top—mammograms hurt.
With the introduction of the SmartCurve Breast Stabilization System, technologists at Sarasota Memorial and beyond hope to change all that.
What Is SmartCurve?
In the past, women have been advised to simply mitigate the pain or discomfort of a mammogram by taking aspirin or ibuprofen before, or wearing a padded sports bra until the pain and bruising goes away after. SmartCurve offers a way to avoid the worst of it altogether, by actually addressing the process.
Designed to increase patient comfort without sacrificing image quality or accuracy, SmartCurve replaces the standard “paddles” used to compress breast tissue with a simple, but significant, innovation—a curved surface that allows for the natural curve of the body, instead of working against it.
This one design change makes a world of difference, with compression being spread more evenly across the breast, resulting in a quicker mammogram with less pain and less pinching than a traditional mammogram—and without leaving marks and bruises that last the rest of the day. And with accompanying processing software to account for the curved paddle, there is no loss in accuracy.
Is SmartCurve For Everyone?
Because the SmartCurve system can be adjusted and adapted to different breast sizes, most women will be able to use SmartCurve, where available. However, there are cases, such as after breast augmentation, where a traditional paddle must be used. Your technologist will let you know.
Does Sarasota Memorial Have SmartCurve?
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is equipped with SmartCurve technology at three of our eight breast screening locations:
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital – Venice
2600 Laurel Road E. North Venice, FL 34275 941-261-9000
- Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center at North Port
2345 Bobcat Village Center Rd. North Port, FL 34288 941-257-2800
- Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center at Heritage Harbour
1040 River Heritage Blvd. Bradenton, FL 34212 941-917-6440
3D mammography is available at all eight locations.
To make an appointment for your mammogram, call 941-917-7322
For more information on breast health services at Sarasota Memorial click here.
Written by Sarasota Memorial copywriter Philip Lederer, MA, who crafts a variety of external communications for the healthcare system. SMH’s in-house wordsmith, Lederer earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration and Political Philosophy from Morehead State University, Ky, and has no frame of reference for this one.