A Breast Imaging Center has opened at the St. Joseph Mercy Brighton health center, offering new cancer detection services.

A ribbon cutting Thursday marked the grand opening of the 2,670- square-foot Breast Imaging Center, which is part of St. Joe’s $41 million investment into its Livingston County hospitals. The center offers services including 3-D Screening and Diagnostic Mammography, Breast Ultrasound and various biopsy options.

St. Joe’s patient Dawn Boss moved to the area over 42 years ago and used to travel to Ann Arbor for breast care services. Boss recently came to Brighton’s new Breast Imaging Center for a screening and says she was treated with "exceptional care". Boss says any underlying anxiety she had regarding her screening was put to ease in the center's private and comforting environment.

In coordination with the center’s opening, the St. Joseph Mercy Brighton Cancer Center has upgraded to a LINAC machine for radiation treatment. A LINAC delivers radiation customized to a tumor’s shape and destroys cancer cells, while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. The LINAC complements other cancer services currently offered at the Brighton center, including infusion, cancer specific pastoral care and genetic counseling.

John O'Malley, president of St. Joseph Mercy Livingston and Brighton, says by providing technology that can detect and treat cancer in its early stages, the health system is also providing peace of mind for its patients. (DK)