WHEATLAND – According to a risk factor map on Breast Cancer in Wyoming, (prepared by the Wyoming Department of Health and dated February 2023) just 65.3 percent of females statewide, age 40 to 74, have been screened for breast cancer. In Platte County, the rate is a little lower, at 62.8 percent. One in eight will develop breast cancer in a lifetime – up to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers are found with three-dimensional mammograms versus two-dimensional. Routine scans also lower the mortality rate by 40 percent.
Platte County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) is bringing awareness to the need for breast cancer screenings and encourage more individuals in Platte County to take the time to schedule their mammogram. Cost doesn’t need to be a barrier in receiving a mammogram either: there are multiple resources available assist individuals with income limitations.
After a recent addition to the radiology department in the Wheatland Hospital, mammograms will be taken with top-of-the-line 3D imaging equipment, which will be highlighted during a Women’s Screening event on Oct. 23 from 4 – 6 p.m. in the hospital lobby.
PCMH Radiology technologist, Jessica Griffis, is also a registered mammographer. She said the Hologic 3D Mammogram machine, using tomography, takes images in “slices” similar to a CT scan in approximately a 15-degree sweep. This gives radiologists a more in-depth look at the breast compared to traditional 2D imagery – a game changer for women with dense breast tissue. It has been shown to reduce the need for patients to return for multiple exams to clarify if an anomaly is something to be concerned about. Griffis explained, if there is an area in question, the 15-degree rotation gives radiologists the ability to look at it from multiple angles and clarify if it is something that needs further attention.
The whole mammogram procedure takes just 15 minutes.

On Oct. 9, the first mammograms were taken at PCMH with the top-of-the-line Hologic machine, and Griffis says she is pleased with the equipment and its capabilities.
During the Women’s Screening Event, mammography appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be free hand massages during the first hour, wellness labs, refreshments, healthcare screening education, door prizes and more.
“The technology has been around for a few years, but we’re fortunate Banner Health chose to include the [3D upgrade to the radiology department],” Griffis said.
The American College of Radiology sets the standard for PCMH’s recommendations for screening. As of April 2024, the ACR urges all women have a breast cancer risk assessment by age 25, and all women over age 40 receive an annual mammography screening.
The ACR, United States Preventative Task Force, American Cancer Society, Society of Breast Imaging all agree the most lives are saved with an annual approach to screenings.
In 2011, the FDA approved Hologic’s 3D mammography exam, and it has proven superior to standard 2D mammography for routine breast cancer screening, and for the nearly half of the population of women with dense breasts.
In an article on May 18, 2017, published and available on the National Institute of Health’s Pub Med, Elizabeth Rafferty, MD led a study on the “Effect of age on breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” She said, “…With [this technology], detection rates for invasive cancer increased significantly for women ages 40 to 69. At the same time, there was a significant decrease in recall rates for all age groups… We needed a better screening tool, and tomosynthesis fills that void. The substantial increase in cancer detection, along with fewer false positive studies, should address any concerns that have lingered over screening this population of women. The time has come for tomosynthesis to be viewed as the standard of care for breast cancer screening, beginning at age 40.”
Hologic states on their website, the new three-dimensional exam is capable of detecting 20 to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers than two-dimensional mammograms. Because of this, and years of research data, the upgrade to the existing Hologic machine at PCMH is anticipated to result in fewer recalls to further investigate anomalies in imagery and enhance early detection of invasive cancers.