About Us

The Hawaii & Pacific Islands Mammography Registry (HIPIMR) database aims to maintain a computerized database of women undergoing breast imaging in the state of Hawai’i. It will include demographic, clinical and risk factor information, breast imaging interpretations, cancer outcomes, and vital status obtained through linkage with the Hawai’i Tumor Registry (HTR) and Hawaii State Department of Health and Vital Records (HSDHVR), respectively.

Wahine Hula Akala, or the Pink Ladies of Hula, began as a research study at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center. Researchers at the Cancer Center and the Hula teacher, TeMoana Makolo, set out to better understand whether Hula could be a feasible, adherent, and effective type of physical activity for female specific cancer survivors.

The Hawaii & Pacific Islands Mammography Registry (HIPIMR) database aims to maintain a computerized database of women undergoing breast imaging in the state of Hawai’i. It will include demographic, clinical and risk factor information, breast imaging interpretations, cancer outcomes, and vital status obtained through linkage with the Hawai’i Tumor Registry (HTR) and Hawaii State Department of Health and Vital Records (HSDHVR), respectively.

The main goals of the registry are to

  1. Better understand how well breast imaging tests find breast cancer in women of various ages and ethnicities,
  2. Provide information to radiologists to improve the overall interpretation of mammograms, and
  3. Assist participating radiology facilities to meet federal standards for quality control.

We hope to learn more about how mammograms and advanced breast imaging tests can best detect breast cancer and what characteristics of women and tumors influence detection.

Data collection is anticipated to begin in 2019 and is expected to continue through the year 2025 with funding anticipated from the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center and from the National Cancer Institute. Data will include retrospective breast imaging and associated information going back to the initiation of digital mammography (approximately 2009) and prospective data through to the end date.

All screening mammography centers identified in Hawaii will be invited to participate. Over twenty mammography facilities in Hawaii are being asked to contribute data to the HIPIMR.