A new 3D mammography system designed to reduce anxiety and improve diagnostic accuracy in breast cancer early screening has been introduced in northern England. Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust is now the first site in Europe to use the Pristina pod, a GE HealthCare system created to make breast imaging more comfortable and patient-centered.
The 3D system—also known as digital breast tomosynthesis—captures multiple low-dose images of the breast from different angles. These images form thin, layered views that help radiologists detect small tumors that may be hidden on standard 2D mammograms.
Research has shown that 3D mammography can improve cancer detection rates, particularly for women with dense breast tissue, and may lower false-positive callbacks.
In addition to diagnostic benefits, the Pristina pod focuses on patient comfort. Its simplified positioning and open, less clinical design have been associated with a 37% reduction in patient anxiety in early evaluations. Lower anxiety has been linked to better screening adherence, an important factor in detecting cancer at earlier, more treatable stages.
The new system was installed at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and began serving patients last month. Joanne Brand, lead radiographer for breast imaging, said the team expects the pod to improve overall patient experience and support higher screening participation in the region.
The expansion comes as NHS England continues efforts to address screening backlogs that developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier detection remains a critical public health goal: when breast cancer is found early, treatment is more likely to be successful and often less intensive.
In the United Kingdom, the NHS Breast Screening Programme invites women ages 50 to 71 for mammograms every three years. Screening aims to identify cancers too small to feel or cause symptoms. Each year, more than two million women in the UK participate in breast cancer early screening, helping reduce disease-specific mortality through early diagnosis.
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