Since April of 2006, Dr. Uleer and Dr. Samse have been running a mobile screening unit for the regions in Göttingen, Hildesheim and Hameln. The “Mammo-Mobil” is one of 89 regional units that are either already on the roads in Germany or will be deployed soon. Setting up stationary centers would not be a viable proposition to cover large areas and therefore the two doctors have pursued a solution with one center in Hildesheim and one in Göttingen. At regular intervals, they visit 30 outstations in the region with the “Mammo-Mobil”.

Dr. Uleer and Dr. Samse have developed the Mammo-Mobil in close collaboration with the car body maker Freytag and Siemens. The women are examined in the trailer. The digital data is stored on an image server and then sent to one of the regional centers for further diagnosis.
Technical details at a glance: Mammomat Novation
• Full-field digital mammography with imaging flat detectors
• Central positioning without subsequent adjustment of the X-ray arm
• Optocomp for automated regulation of pressure on the breast
• Optodose for the best anode/filter combination and the lowest possible dose, depending on breast characteristics
Optimally designed Mammomat Novation workstations
• Acquisition workstation for image acquisition and display
• syngo MammoReport breast care workstation for detailed diagnosis

European guidelines (Mammomat Novation is also approved by the FTA) require standardized cancer screening procedures. In addition to technological standards, the four eyes principle improves the perceived image of area-wide examinations. Each exposure has to be diagnosed independently by two doctors, thus providing incentive for improvement. A percentage of 64.1% indicates confirmation of both doctors' diagnoses. This rate is to be sustained or even improved upon on the long term. Digital technology accounts for a considerable portion of mammography success rates. Dr. Samse emphasizes the fact that there is no alternative to full-field digital mammography.
The advantages are evident:

• Approximately 20-30% lower radiation exposure
• High image quality
• Postprocessing possible
• Up to eight images on the screen at the same time
• Higher level of diagnostic certainty in the case of microcalcifications
• Linking with historical data, ultrasound images Diagnosis results of the first four months of a regional study by Dr. Uleer and Dr. Samse, based on 7013 cases:
• 72 carcinomas were found
• Cancer rate: one of three to four women who were subsequently examined in the centers
• Hit rate of 100% for tissue samples taken
• No women underwent surgery without histological diagnosis confirmation.