Memorial's First Breast MRI Patient Praises Wonderful Care
Updated October 2002 — As a product manager for a software company, Debbie Peake uses technology to make her clients' businesses healthier. As the first Breast MRI Biopsy Coil patient at Memorial Regional Hospital, she learned to count on technology to improve her own health, too.
"When I was referred to the Breast Center at Memorial Regional Hospital because I had a lump in my breast, I knew I was going to receive the best care possible," the 45-year-old Hollywood resident says. "But I had no idea that I was going to be the first patient to experience this new procedure for finding breast cancer."
After Peake found the lump during a self-exam, a mammogram and ultrasound imaging revealed a tumor too large to be removed. Peake was scheduled for chemotherapy, which reduced her tumor to a size appropriate for removal. To map the tumor for surgery— and to ensure that there were no other cancerous tumors or lesions— Peake was scheduled for the new Breast MRI Biopsy Coil procedure.
Mary Hayes, MD, medical director of the Breast Center at Memorial Regional Hospital, used the coil to target the tumor's coordinates. During the two-hour procedure, Dr. Hayes took 10 biopsies at two sites to ensure a thorough breast evaluation.
"Once the tumor was located, we used magnetic resonance-compatible needles to take biopsies of the tissue to see if it was cancerous," Dr. Hayes says. "We then inserted titanium clips at these biopsy sites in the breast — as markers for future biopsies and guide wires for a lumpectomy."
With the images, surgeons removed Peake's tumor with minimal cutting. As insurance against recurrence of the cancer, Peake opted to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstructive surgery. She was impressed with the Breast MRI Biopsy Coil and remains enthusiastic about the procedure, the support services and the staff at Memorial Regional Hospital.
"Everyone involved in the procedure was wonderful," she says. "The doctors, nurses and technicians gave me a lot of information and the best care possible."
If you have any concerns about your personal risk of breast cancer, speak to your physician. For referral to a physician, call Memorial Healthcare System's Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.