By: Anush Parikh, M.D.

In addition to being the first site to offer Digital Mammography in Dover, MDI has again raised the bar in the detection of breast cancer. We first began by updating the technical aspect of mammography by introducing the digital technique. We have now updated the other half of the equation which is the doctor, the Radiologist, who looks at the digital films and determines if he/she sees cancer or the signs of cancer. TWO Radiologists will now look at your digital mammogram to further increase the chances that a cancer is detected; this is known as Double Read Mammography.

A simple analogy: If you lost a diamond ring at the beach, what would you do to find it? First you would try and get the best technology available, in this case a strong metal detector. Next, you yourself would look thoroughly throughout the sand for the ring. What would increase your chances of finding this tiny ring amidst a vast landscape of sand? The obvious answer is another person! This is the concept behind Double Read Mammography. Improve the odds of detecting breast cancer by having a second radiologist look at the films in addition to the first radiologist.

Many mammography facilities have been practicing double read mammography for years in New York City (where I did my schooling/training) as well as other cities. In fact, according to a New England Journal of Medicine article, double reading is the standard of care in 12 European countries. In addition, it has been found that double reading of a mammogram leads to increased detection of cancer by 4-14%! The article states that the resources are not available in the US and that is why double reading is not widely practiced. Well, these resources exist in NYC and other large cities and again we at MDI believe that the women of our community should be afforded the same options in healthcare offered to women in our major cities.

I would first like to mention that we are making no extra money by doing this. We cannot and do not bill the insurance companies for extra money. We do not charge the patient for this extra service. There is no increased copay or cost to anyone. We strongly believe in this service and are offering it to all of our patients, free of charge, as we firmly believe it is the right thing to do.

Mammography is about numbers and experience. The only way to become better at detecting cancer is to have years of experience under your belt and to have seen tens of thousands of mammograms. My father, Dr. Mahendra Parikh, the founder of MDI, has been a practicing radiologist for over 30 years. He has seen more mammograms than most radiologists in Delaware while practicing in Dover for the past 30 years. Our double read service begins with his extensive experience. He first analyzes the films and compares them with your old films (if available). A computer program is also utilized as a “second look” tool. After looking at the images and the computer’s analysis, he comes to a conclusion for you and your doctor. Over the next days, I then look at those same films and form my own impression. If there is a difference in opinion, my father and I discuss the mammogram and come to a joint conclusion. If this differs from the original opinion, you and your doctor will be notified regarding the follow up recommended as discussed by both of us.

In addition to advancing the technology with the latest equipment and protocols/services in radiology, we have also decided to add a personal approach to radiology. For the longest time, the radiologist has been known as the doctor who sits in the dark room and looks at x-rays. At MDI, we are interested in you as well as your pictures. We will be more than glad to go over your images with you while you wait so that you may finally gain an understanding as to what your mammogram means, all you have to do is ask to see your Radiologist! You have a choice, tell your doctor that you would like your next mammogram/radiology test (MRI, CAT scan, etc) to be done at MDI and we will be glad to discuss it with you.

For more information on digital mammography,
or to schedule contact Mid-Delaware Imaging
at (302)734-9888.

Anush Parikh, M.D. is with Mid-Delaware Imaging in Dover, DE. Dr. Parikh was raised in Dover and educated through the Holy Cross, Caesar Rodney and St. Andrew’s school systems. He attended New York University for undergraduate training where he majored in Anthropology. Dr. Parikh received his M.D. at Syracuse-Upstate Medical University where he achieved the medical academic honor of Alpha Omega Alpha. He moved back to NYC where he completed his Internship at St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center. This was followed by a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Beth Israel Medical Center and a mini-fellowship in cardiac/coronary CT. Dr. Parikh has recently returned to his community where he is practicing along with his father Mahendra Parikh, M.D. (who has been a practicing radiologist and serving the community of Dover for 30 years).

Testimonials:
“Many women would feel more comfortable if their radiologists were using both CAD and double reads. If given just one of those options, I would prefer the double reads. You don’t want them (the radiologists) to find something, but if something is there, you want to make sure they do get it and they get it in time. There is a fear that they might miss it, but if you have two different people looking at it, you’re less likely to miss it.” ~ Okemah Strickland, board of trustees for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition

“Finally, we are receiving 2009 care in central Delaware. I had been driving to NY for my mammograms and had been paying for double reads. It’s great to know that this is now available for free in Dover and that one of the Dr Parikhs will go over the films with me and let me know what’s going on before I leave. I hated waiting for a letter in the mail.” ~ Amy L.