As a field, mammography hasn’t changed much until recently, according to Dr. Matthew Reaven. “There've been some subtle improvements over the last half century, but for the most part, it's the same,” says the co-owner of The Painless Mammogram on Lovers Lane. Dr. Reaven’s clinic is breaking the mold in Dallas, leveraging a new machine that uses 3D imaging to screen for breast cancer. “This technology is completely different,” he says.
Dr. Reaven, a critical care doctor, launched The Painless Mammogram in April alongside his three brothers and family friend—an E.R. doctor, an anesthesiologist, a breast radiologist, and a plastic surgeon, respectively. Dr. Richard Reaven, the breast radiologist in the group, connected with Koning, a tomography company with a dedicated breast CT that uses the same amount of radiation as a traditional compression mammogram. After a few years of research, the group decided to bring the technology—which has roughly 20 units operating in the U.S.—to Dallas.
The machine, the Vera, makes mammograms less intimidating and more accurate. “It reduces the barrier,” Dr. Reaven explains, “A lot of women don't get their recommended mammograms because of the pain and compression and fear.” The technology captures a 360-degree image without any uncomfortable squeezing. “Because we are able to have a much higher-quality, truly three-dimensional image, we can catch cancer at earlier and more treatable stages,” Reaven says.
The imaging process takes about seven seconds, and the photos rarely produce inconclusive results. “It [can] reduce radiation exposure, because if you have a mammogram and then you get called back, you have to get [another] diagnostic mammogram, which is more radiation,” Dr. Reaven explains. This is especially true for women with implants, who traditionally must have two sets of images taken for each breast. “Our scan actually uses half of the radiation in patients who have breast implants,” Dr. Reaven says.
Dr. Reaven’s group hopes to eventually open more locations throughout DFW, but for now, they are focused on growing their clientele. “A lot of you this is getting out into the community, speaking with doctors about what we're doing and getting them familiar with the technology,” Dr. Reaven says.