PORT JEFFERSON, NY – A new non-invasive technology that helps detect lymphedema at its earliest stages for at-risk patients is now being used by the Fortunato Breast Health Center at Mather Hospital.
SOZO® is a new digital health platform from ImpediMed that aids in the early detection of lymphedema as a point-of-care assessment tool to guide clinical decision-making and maximize patient health. The tool is used for at-risk cancer patients, including patients with breast cancer who undergo surgery involving the axillary lymph nodes.
SOZO® measures the volume of fluid in various parts of the body by passing an extremely low-strength electrical current throughout the body and measuring how the flow of the current is slowed by the fluid in the body.
“We are proud to offer this new SOZO® technology to our at-risk patients,” said Michelle Price, MD, Medical Director of the Fortunato Breast Health Center. “Multiple measurements over time can detect early signs of lymphedema, not visible by any other method. If these changes can be identified early, there are effective treatments to prevent the progression to chronic lymphedema.”
Lymphedema is swelling due to the build-up of lymph fluid in the body that is usually drained by the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system collects excess fluid, proteins and toxins from cells and tissues and returns them to the bloodstream. Lymphedema can occur when the lymphatic system is damaged due to radiation treatment, chemotherapy, surgery, or trauma. In some cases, it can also be caused by inherited conditions.
About Mather Hospital
Mather Hospital is an accredited 248-bed, non-profit community teaching hospital dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of high-quality health care services to Suffolk County residents, showing compassion, respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones. Mather has earned the prestigious Magnet® recognition three times from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which recognizes healthcare organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Mather also was named one of America’s 250 best hospitals for 2023 by Healthgrades and received the Healthgrades 2023 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for the third consecutive year. Our Graduate Medical Education program prepares physicians for future careers through Internal Medicine, Transitional Year, Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Psychiatry residency programs and gastroenterology and hematology/oncology fellowships. Mather was rated high performing by U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings in heart failure, geriatrics, kidney failure, orthopedics, hip fracture, COPD, and urology. For information about Mather Hospital, visit matherhospital.org or follow us @MatherHospital on Facebook.
About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals, 850 outpatient facilities and more than 12,000 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 84,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,900 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.