News and Events

The good news is that as of November 2024 that machine is brand new due in large part to fundraising events like Rally Fore the Cure Huron – an annual Golf Tournament that in 2025 was held at the Bluewater Golf Course near Bayfield on June 22. This year’s event raised over $13,000 for AMGHs Mammography program.

This was the biggest tournament to date with 96 golfers participating. It was also the largest donation made by the tournament in its 24 year history. The committee extends its thanks to all who donated and those who participated in the tournament making it such a resounding success.

Following the golf, at the dinner, participants were fortunate to hear an email update from Lead Mammography Technologist at AMGH, Wendi Allinson, read by AMGH Foundation Executive Director Kimberley Payne. Allinson has been working for just over 20 years at AMGH providing high quality mammogram images and patient care.

She opened her update by thanking all involved in the annual fundraiser from organizers to participants.

“Not only are you raising funds, but you are also educating others on the importance of mammograms and the fact that the community must raise funds for hospital equipment,” Allinson said.

She then went on to update those gathered about the AMGH Mammography Department.

“We recently installed our brand new machine in November 2024. The group of radiologists we work with in London are very happy with the new equipment and image quality and so are the technologists working on the machine,” she relayed.

In May of 2025, AMGH obtained their license for the machine to operate with Tomosynthesis which provides a 3D image of the breast instead of the standard 2D image.

Allinson then went on to explain how the process works.

“Nine low dose images are taken in a series of about nine seconds. They are then reconstructed into a 3D image allowing the radiologist to view the breast tissue in thin slices (kind of like a CT scan),” she explained. “This technology helps to better visualize and differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue, potentially reducing the overlap of breast tissue that can obscure tumors in 2D mammograms. And for the dose, it is the same radiation dose as the 2D mammogram.

According to Allinson, currently, the new 3D technology is being used on women who are being called back in for additional imaging, or are having follow up imaging. For the future, they are moving toward having all screening mammograms 3D. This is a work in process with OHIP, Ontario Breast Screening and the radiologists in Ontario.

Allinson noted that in the future they would like to begin doing contrast mammograms at AMGH.

“This, of course, requires an expensive licence. Our department is ready for this new technology as our mammogram technologists are already CT contrast injection techs, and we have an injector waiting for just this reason. Contrast mammography entails us placing an IV in your arm, injecting a contrast media (just like in CT), then performing a mammogram. The contrast will highlight abnormal blood vessels and hyperactive tissues that can happen when cancer develops. It basically is another tool to help detect breast cancer in the early stages.”

Allinson concluded by saying,”…I feel it is important to keep the rally’s organizers and participants up to date on what you are raising funds for, and how it is greatly helping out the entire community. The mammography

technologists at AMGH again want to give everyone a huge thank you and know that we appreciate your hard work with this rally.”

Rally organizers and participants alike were no doubt heartened to learn that having the ability to do Tomosynthesis here in Huron County, when warranted, will save residents the stress of having to travel outside the county for this 3D imaging. This new technology, as well as more in the future, will certainly be something to continue rallying “fore”.