Early Diagnosis of Cancer in Women Unit

Hospital CIMA, which specialises in women’s healthcare, has this unit for all patients who want a quick and effective diagnosis of any disease and who want objective and quantitative tests about the risk of suffering a disease, whether oncological or any other type of diagnosis. It is also very useful for patients who have already been diagnosed and want to quantify the evolution of their disease and evaluate the impact of their treatments on its course.

• Digital mammogram: A 3D digital mammogram with high definition tomosynthesis has been incorporated. It detects small lesions that are not visible in conventional mammograms, thereby avoiding surgery for diagnosis and allowing early diagnosis in cases of breast cancer and other conditions. In addition, it is a very low radiation mammogram so the risk for women is reduced. The digital mammogram has a latest generation prone biopsy table to take small biopsies with maximum precision. This enables the quality of the material collected to be validated on the spot, thereby avoiding having to repeat the tests. To sum up, our technology enables more precise, faster and less invasive biopsies because it hardly leaves any scar. 

• Breast biopsy: A breast biopsy helps us to find lumps or abnormalities and take a tissue sample in order to examine it under a microscope. It is a less invasive test than the surgical biopsy and hardly leaves any scar.

• Densitometry: The densitometry helps us to measure the density of calcium in bones, making it very useful for diagnosing osteoporosis or for assessing the risk of fractures.

• Gynaecology ultrasound scan: The gynaecology ultrasound scan enable us to define the organs of the body to perform a complete study of tumour diseases (benign and malignant) and for sterility, reproduction and urogynaecology studies.

• Stereotaxy: The Stereotaxy is a very precise method of taking brain tissue samples (biopsies) via a very small opening in the skull and is very useful for diagnosis in cases in which a surgical procedure is not necessary (there are tumours that are treated with radio therapy and not operated on). It is also very useful when tumours, infections or strokes have been ruled out or simply to drain a cyst.

• Hysterosalpingography: A hysterosalpingography can be used to check that the fallopian tubes are not obstructed when studying the cause of infertility in women.

• Fine-needle aspiration: Fine-needle aspiration is a test used to obtain a tissue sample by ing a thin needle into it, but thick enough to collect cells or small traces of unknown origin in order to study the cells of a mass and nodules or even to rule out malignant tumours.

• Gynaecology magnetic resonance imaging: Gynaecology magnetic resonance imaging is a test that is carried out after other diagnostic tests like a mammogram, ultrasound scan and/or aspiration and provides a more accurate view of these lesions and sometimes allows other lesions to be detected. This test is very useful for planning treatment or even diagnosing complicated cases.

• Gynaecology CT scan: This allows us to carry out a complete study of any area of the body by obtaining a 2D black-and-white image of the different cross-sections of the body for more accurate diagnosis than with conventional radiology.

It is a multidisciplinary unit comprising a team of radiologists sub-specialised in the breast and dedicated specifically to this unit and a prestigious team of highly specialised oncologists, surgeons and pathologists.

The Early Diagnosis of Cancer in Women Unit is headed by Dr Melchor Sentís Crivillé:

• Dr Amaya Martin Oloriz
• Dr Javier Del Riego Ferrari
• Dr Sergio Luis Ganau Macías
• Dr Ester Picas Curtina
• Dr Clara Codina Aroztegui
• Dr Pau Palaña Palau
• Dr Mariona Vilagran Fraguell