Al Rahba Hospital expands Women’s Health Program with new Digital Mammography unit

Latest technology will allow for on-site imaging and advanced detection analysis for early discovery and treatment of breast cancer 

Al Rahba Hospital has announced the expansion of its landmark Women’s Health Program with the launch of a new Digital Mammography unit specializing in the area of breast cancer detection. The new unit boasts the latest in digital imaging technology with all necessary mechanical and software features available on site, permitting fast image acquisition and archiving, secondary post-processing, and advanced computer analysis detection (CAD). The unit is also designed to be patient-friendly and in line with the cultural customs of the region, reducing as much as possible the inconveniences typically associated with breast examinations.

The foremost innovation of the unit is the addition of a Stenograph Essential system, which uses special types of low energy x-ray technology to scan patients for breast cancer. The x-rays do not go through other tissues as easily as those used for more routine x-ray procedures, improving the contrast of the image for cancer detection. The digital system also exposes the patient to much lower doses of radiation compared to devices used just a few years ago.

“Mammogram screenings greatly improve a woman’s chance for successful treatment,” says Dr. Nellie Boma, M.D., M.P.H, and Chief Medical Officer of Al Rahba Hospital. “Early detection tests for breast cancer save many thousands of lives each year, and many more lives could be saved if more women and their healthcare providers took advantage of these tests.”

In UAE, breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer in women among both nationals & expats. According to Dr. Boma, women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. Women in their 20s and 30s should also have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of their regular health examinations, preferably every three years.

Al Rahba Hospital’s Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Program was first established in January 2009 with an objective to identify and reduce the number of female cases of breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis within the UAE. A robust approach to disease prevention through patient screening and public outreach programs are a few of WHI’s primary tools to encourage healthy lifestyle management.

Al Rahba Hospital, managed by Johns Hopkins International and part of the SEHA HealthSystem and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, has advanced rigorous guidelines in the development of the Digital Mammography unit to ensure that all equipment is both state-of-the-art and certified by international regulators.