department at King Edward Memorial VII Hospital, however, may increase women's chances of a cure. The department acquired its own mammography unit, which allows screenings and specialised diagnostic studies to be carried out on site, in May, 1992. And the unit typically provides results within two days of the examination. The facility allows micro calcifications and/or densities to be seen in the breast. And if these are considered to be abnormal, new technology made available by the unit can remove the malignant tissue. "Prior to the new technique, doctors tended to remove pie sections of the breast mass in an effort to capture what may be abnormal,'' said Mrs. Janet Thomas-Gauntlett, head of Diagnostic Imaging.

But the mammography unit allows the surgeon to make an incision on the outside of the breast while taking tissue from the inside. "A fine needle is inserted into the breast. And while the needle is in place, the woman is sent to the operating room where a surgeon removes a scoop of tissue around the needle,'' said Mrs. Thomas-Gauntlett.

"The tissue is X-rayed and these films are compared to previous mammogram films. The specimen should have the same abnormal densities that we saw on the mammogram before the operation,'' she said.

The method, known as needle localisation, is less disfiguring for the woman.

"Only a small piece of breast tissue is removed as opposed to a pie-shaped section of the breast,'' she said.

Likening a breast tumour to a plant, Mrs. Thomas-Gauntlett, said that densities begin to grow like a seed. And as they grow, the roots extend into other parts of the breast and later, the body.

"Once you start to feel a lump, it's already three or four centimetres in size so it's probably had a chance to spread elsewhere,'' she said.

"But if we find densities the size of a seed, we can remove them before they get a chance to grow into a plant. And if you can catch the tumour before it's palpable, you're looking at the possibility of a cure,'' she added.

"Before the new method was available, doctors did not get the accuracy that can be had with needle localisation. Nowadays the mammogram is compared to the tissue removed and that in turn to the specimen slices done by the pathologist,'' said Mrs. Thomas Gauntlett. "So everyone is looking at the same abnormalities. And this obviously increases the accuracy rates.'' In the past year, over 1200 mammograms have been performed in the new facility. And over 60 of them led to needle localisation surgery.

Stereotactics, which is a fine needle biopsy, is the newest technique in breast cancer detection. "A computer shoots a needle into the area rather than inserting the needle manually,'' said Mrs. Thomas Gauntlett. "And the needle pulls out a specimen comprised of cells.'' This method takes needle localisation one step further. But according to Mrs.

Thomas Gauntlett, it's such a fine sampling of cells that it may be difficult to hit the appropriate tissue dead on. "The technique may not leave any scars. But how do you know if the computer has drawn out tissue from the exact spot,'' she said.

The Diagnostic Imaging Department is presently looking into an advanced piece of equipment -- magnetic residence (M.R.) imaging. It uses high speed magnets to image soft tissue structures within the body.

"M.R. is similar to a CAT scan in that it sees the differences in body tissue densities. But magnetic residence imaging goes even further,'' she said. "M.

R. would totally enhance our ability to look at different soft tissues.

"We're conducting a feasible study,'' said Mrs. Thomas Gauntlett. "It will cost about 1.2 million dollars. But we have to look at other factors. The machinery would require a specially constructed room. And we have to determine whether the equipment would sustain itself - what will the operating costs be.

And is there enough demand to warrant these costs.

"Mammography is not an exact science,'' she added. "Specialists are constantly looking at better ways to improve the technology. And we must be careful in our choice of equipment.

"The mammography unit cost the Hospital more than $81,000 -- it's all very expensive,'' she said.

HELPING TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER -- Radiographer of the Mammography Unit, Mrs.

Kim Gibbs.

DIFFERENCE -- These mammograms belong to the same patient. The one on the right was taken using the Hospital's unit (acquired a couple of years ago) which produces a sharper image.

OFFICIAL OPENING -- Health and Social Services Minister, the Hon. Quinton Edness, is seen here in May of 1992 opening the Hospital's Mammography Unit.

He is pictured with Mrs. Janet Thomas-Gauntlett who is demonstrating how the equipment works.