One of the First Hospitals in New England to Offer Contrast-Enhanced Mammography.
A potentially life-saving advancement in breast cancer detection is now available close to home at Copley Hospital for people in Lamoille County and beyond.
The Critical Access Hospital has added Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) to its breast care offerings, making it one of the first hospitals in New England, and one of the very few small community hospitals in the country, to offer this advanced imaging technology. The addition of CEM reflects Copley Hospital’s ongoing commitment to bringing high-quality, compassionate care — powered by the latest medical advances — close to home.
CEM combines traditional digital mammography with intravenous contrast to give radiologists a clearer, more detailed view of breast tissue. By highlighting areas of increased blood flow, which can sometimes indicate the presence of cancer, CEM enables the detection and evaluation of abnormalities that may be difficult to identify on a standard mammogram — particularly in patients with dense breast tissue.
“This is an exciting advancement for both our patients and the future of breast imaging in our region,” said Gabrielle Stone, Director of Radiology at Copley Hospital. “Contrast-Enhanced Mammography brings a level of diagnostic precision that has traditionally only been available at large academic and research institutions. Being able to offer this technology in a community hospital setting means our patients can access faster, more personalized breast imaging with exceptional clarity — without leaving the community.”
CEM has a broad range of clinical uses, including evaluating suspicious findings, assessing the extent of a known breast cancer, clarifying inconclusive imaging results, and supporting personalized screening for higher-risk patients. Key benefits of the technology include:
- Improved detection in dense breast tissue
- Faster imaging times compared to MRI
- Greater patient comfort and accessibility
- Greater confidence in diagnostic results and care planning
There is significant clinical need for CEM, which can be used along with MRI and ultrasound to follow patients at high risk for breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly half of American women have dense breast tissue, which reduces the effectiveness of standard mammograms and makes early diagnosis more challenging.
“At Copley Hospital, our goal is to create a breast program that gives people access to the same caliber of care they would expect from much larger medical centers,” said Dr. Sarah Waterman, a general surgeon and head of Copley’s Breast Program. “The addition of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography is a major advancement because it allows us to evaluate breast abnormalities with greater precision and help patients move more quickly toward answers and treatment when needed. It’s exciting to see this level of technology becoming available in our community hospital setting.”
The addition of CEM builds on Copley Hospital’s already strong breast care program and underscores the hospital’s mission to provide exceptional, patient-centered services to the communities of northern and central Vermont.