WADENA, Minn.– Tri-County Health Care has added some new technology to help with mammograms. The hospital now uses the Hologic SmartCurve Stabilization System.

The new equipment’s design makes mammograms more comfortable for patients. Discomfort, according to Tri-County, is often cited as the main reason women avoid the potentially lifesaving procedure. The new technology increases patient comfort during mammograms screening with the use of conforming paddle equipment to accommodate a wide range of patients.

“Using the paddles does not change our workflow,” said Kate Lachowitzer. “We simply attach the new paddles to the machine instead of the conventional paddles. Patients will notice these paddles do not pull as much and the compression is more even throughout the breast.”

The new paddles are used in 3D mammography at Tri-County Health Care. It is recommended that women 40 and older receive a mammogram screening each year. For more information, you can check out TCHC.org.