Samaritan Medical Center Foundation Awarded $575,000 Grant to Bring Expanded Breast Imaging Technology to the North Country

Published on: August 18, 2026

Contrast-Enhanced Mammography system expected to be installed by the end of the year

WATERTOWN, NY — Samaritan Medical Center Foundation was recently awarded a $575,000 grant from the Saint Agatha Foundation to purchase a state-of-the-art Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) diagnostic system for the Samaritan Women’s Wellness and Breast Care Center (WWBC). The new equipment, which is expected to be installed by the end of the year, will significantly expand access to advanced breast cancer diagnostics for patients throughout Northern New York.

The award is part of the Saint Agatha Foundation’s record-breaking $2.3 million investment announced last week, providing funding to eight healthcare partners to improve breast cancer care across Central New York, including Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Otsego, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Tompkins counties.

“The donation from Saint Agatha Foundation enables Samaritan to continue to lead local breast care with the purchase of our first Contrast-Enhanced Mammography equipment,” said Thomas H. Carman, President and CEO of Samaritan Medical Center. “This important diagnostic tool is another way we can find breast cancer faster and lead to treatment more effectively. There are so many medical advancements in early cancer detection, and Saint Agatha Foundation has removed a huge barrier of cost for Samaritan to continue to build our equipment, strengthen our breast care team, and help our patients.”

The CEM system is a next-generation imaging technology that improves cancer detection by highlighting areas of increased blood flow, a common characteristic of breast cancer. The technology offers sensitivity comparable to breast MRI while providing higher specificity, helping reduce unnecessary biopsies. It also serves as an important alternative for patients who cannot undergo or tolerate a breast MRI. In addition to improving cancer detection, CEM allows physicians to monitor how tumors respond to chemotherapy by showing whether a tumor is shrinking, remaining stable, or progressing, which is critical information for guiding treatment decisions and improving patient outcomes.

The investment comes at an important time for the North Country. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers among women in New York State, with approximately 16,700 women diagnosed and 2,500 deaths each year, according to the New York State Department of Health. Several counties within Samaritan’s service area experience breast cancer incidence rates above the state average. Between 2018 and 2022, Hamilton County recorded the highest incidence rate in New York State at 168.2 cases per 100,000 residents, while Lewis County and Jefferson County also exceeded the statewide average of 135.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

Despite this need, access to contrast-enhanced mammography remains extremely limited across Northern New York, with the nearest systems primarily located in metropolitan areas such as Syracuse, Rochester, and New York City. For many North Country residents, traveling for advanced imaging presents significant challenges due to distance, winter weather, transportation limitations, and potential insurance barriers. These obstacles can delay diagnosis and treatment.

The Samaritan Women’s Wellness and Breast Care Center provides a comprehensive range of women’s health services, including specialized pregnancy care, gynecologic services, breast imaging, same-day diagnostic interpretations, and breast cancer care. The center’s multidisciplinary team includes a fellowship-trained breast radiologist and Dr. Michael Peyser, the region’s only breast surgical oncologist, who joined Samaritan in February 2025.

Currently, WWBC performs approximately 55 mammograms each day using three mammography units. The center is also the only facility in Jefferson County offering breast MRI services. The addition of CEM technology will further strengthen Samaritan’s ability to provide comprehensive breast cancer care close to home, reducing the need for patients to travel outside the region for advanced diagnostic imaging while supporting faster diagnoses and more coordinated treatment.