Kootenai Health women's imaging center revamped

Kootenai Health is adding a facility in Coeur d’Alene and upgrading the existing Women’s Imaging Center in Post Falls beginning in 2025. 

Because the centers affect breast cancer detection and diagnoses and it's breast cancer awareness month, the health organization shared details of the equipment in the works and said the $1.5 million fundraiser is 60% funded. 

Kootenai Health plans to add two new mammography scanners with 3D and AI technology, a new Dexa bone density scan machine, a new ultrasound machine and a new automated breast ultrasound machine to help provide clearer scans for women with dense breast tissue.  

“It really adds to our arsenal for screening,” radiologist Luke Grauke said during a video interview. 

Grauke is a fellowship-trained breast imaging radiologist and said the majority of patients getting breast imaging don’t have cancer. He said the new technology will speed up imaging times and make the process less scary. 

The new facility will also offer areas for screenings or diagnostic care to cut down on the anxiety of appointments so they won’t be required to “dive into the full depth of the diagnostic center” if they’re simply there for a routine mammogram. 

Kootenai Health became a National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers site in August 2017 and achieved re-accreditation in 2024.    

The newer technology will also help with patient wait times. 

Kootenai Health Foundation President Cara Nielsen is a patient of the health care system as well as being a fundraiser on the campaign. She said it's exciting as a patient to have more advanced technology for denser tissue to overcome issues she has experienced with scans in the past. 

“This group of folks is putting so much thought and care into how I and other patients will feel going through this potentially intimidating and scary experience, it means a lot to me," Nielsen said.  

    Cara Nielsen, Kootenai Health Foundation