Short-Term Follow-Up: A Reasonable Alternative to Immediate Biopsy of Palpable Breast Lesions With Benign Imaging Features

Short-term follow-up is a reasonable alternative to invasive biopsy of palpable (capable of being touched or felt) breast lesions with benign imaging features, particularly in younger women with probable fibroadenoma (non-cancerous tumors that often occur in women during their reproductive years), according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

The study, performed at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., consisted of a group of 320 women with 375 palpable masses with benign features for which short-term follow-up was recommended. “We found that only one case of cancer was diagnosed for which short-term follow-up had been recommended,” said Jennifer A. Harvey, M.D., lead author of the study.

“Our study of palpable breast lesions with benign features showed an acceptably low prevalence of breast cancer - so low that short-term follow-up is a reasonable alternative to biopsy,” said Harvey.

“Application of the results of our study may reduce the number of biopsies that result in benign findings. There is also significant cost savings associated with using short-term follow-up rather than immediate biopsy,” she said.

source: American Roentgen Ray Society

Esteemed Endorsements Recognize Promising Future Of Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI)

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging/Molecular Breast Imaging (BSGI/MBI) has been recognized and endorsed by two highly esteemed organizations for the fight against breast cancer: The Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) and the American College of Surgeons. Both societies published articles supporting the further application of this breakthrough imaging technology for the early detection of breast cancer.

"These endorsements reinforce what I have found to be true in my own center: BSGI performs better than MRI in many patient cases," Christine B. Teal, M.D., F.A.C.S. Director, Breast Care Center, The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates. "BSGI is more sensitive and specific, and it costs less than MRI. We are a big supporter of BSGI in our breast center and use it routinely for the surgical planning for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, as well as for screening of high risk patients."


source: Medical News Today

AMICAS PACS For Mammography at RSNA 2009

BOSTON, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AMICAS, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCS), a leader in image and information management solutions, today announced that it will showcase the intrinsic mammography capabilities of AMICAS PACS™ at the 2009 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting from November 29 to December 4 in Chicago, IL. AMICAS will be in the North Hall in booth #7124.

AMICAS PACS Version 6.0 delivers intrinsic mammography workflow and visualization tools, which helps drive a solid return on investment and increased productivity for radiologists. With intrinsic mammography and high-end tools for reading all radiology studies, AMICAS PACS provides for all of a radiologist's needs in a single, Web-based workstation.

"When AMICAS was developing its intrinsic mammography capabilities, they reached out to me - and other radiologists - to ensure that their radiology PACS fits into the real world of mammography," said Randy Hicks MD, radiologist and owner of Regional Medical Imaging of Flint, MI. "AMICAS actively solicits feedback from practicing radiologists, and I have found that this collaborative process delivers a superior PACS solution for my practice."

source: AMICAS

USPSTF Mammography Recommendations Will Result In Countless Unnecessary Breast Cancer Deaths Each Year

If cost-cutting U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) mammography recommendations are adopted as policy, two decades of decline in breast cancer mortality could be reversed and countless American women may die needlessly from breast cancer each year. The recommendations - created by a federal government-funded committee with no medical imaging representation - would advise against regular mammography screening for women 40-49 years of age, provide mammograms only every other year for women between 50 and 74, and stop all breast cancer screening in women over 74.

"These unfounded USPSTF recommendations ignore the valid scientific data and place a great many women at risk of dying unnecessarily from a disease that we have made significant headway against over the past 20 years. Mammography is not a perfect test, but it has unquestionably been shown to save lives - including in women aged 40-49. These new recommendations seem to reflect a conscious decision to ration care. If Medicare and private insurers adopt these incredibly flawed USPSTF recommendations as a rationale for refusing women coverage of these life-saving exams, it could have deadly effects for American women," said Carol H. Lee, M.D., chair of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Commission.

Since the onset of regular mammography screening in 1990, the mortality rate from breast cancer, which had been unchanged for the preceding 50 years, has decreased by 30 percent. Ignoring direct scientific evidence from large clinical trials, the USPSTF based their recommendations to reduce breast cancer screening on conflicting computer models and the unsupported and discredited idea that the parameters of mammography screening change abruptly at age 50. In truth, there are no data to support this premise.

source: American College of Radiology

Karmanos Cancer Institute Launches Company and Innovative Breast Imaging Tool

DETROIT, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After more than 10 years of research and development, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute announced its launch of a new company to build and market a breast cancer screening device invented at Karmanos. The innovative technology developed as C.U.R.E. (Computerized Ultrasound Risk Evaluation), now referred to as SoftVue, will be marketed under the new spin-off company called Delphinus Medical Technologies, LLC. The company has already secured sale commitments for the SoftVue system from several health institutions nationally and internationally.

More than 300 women were involved in the initial clinical studies, which confirmed that SoftVue accurately and safely identifies breast cancer. SoftVue uses multi-parametric ultrasound and sophisticated computer algorithms rather than X-rays. The SoftVue exam takes about one minute, does not involve radiation or compression as the current mammography, and is a fraction of the cost of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). It's believed that it will help reduce the number of false positives that can occur with mammography and thereby reduce unnecessary biopsies.

source: PR Newswire

Less is more in new breast-cancer screening recommendations

The long-standing recommendation that women age 40 and older at average risk of breast cancer get annual mammograms and the notion that women benefit from doing breast self-examination at home is being turned on its head. In a nod to the risks of false positives and unnecessary procedures that mammograms can generate, especially in younger women, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new guidelines this week saying women in their 40s who have average risk generally don’t need regular screening and that women 50 to 74 should cut back and get mammograms no more than once every two years. The group calls for a more individualized approach in deciding whether regular mammograms are warranted in cases that don’t involve a family history of the disease or genetic biomarkers that raise a woman’s risk for it.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent, nongovernmental body. Its new recommendations are at odds with those of other high-profile groups such as the American Cancer Society, which stands by its guidance that women in their 40s receive regular mammograms, and could affect the way private insurers and Medicare cover such screenings.

source: MarketWatch

AMICAS PACS For Mammography at RSNA 2009

BOSTON, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AMICAS, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCS), a leader in image and information management solutions, today announced that it will showcase the intrinsic mammography capabilities of AMICAS PACS™ at the 2009 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting from November 29 to December 4 in Chicago, IL. AMICAS will be in the North Hall in booth #7124.

AMICAS PACS Version 6.0 delivers intrinsic mammography workflow and visualization tools, which helps drive a solid return on investment and increased productivity for radiologists. With intrinsic mammography and high-end tools for reading all radiology studies, AMICAS PACS provides for all of a radiologist's needs in a single, Web-based workstation.

"When AMICAS was developing its intrinsic mammography capabilities, they reached out to me - and other radiologists - to ensure that their radiology PACS fits into the real world of mammography," said Randy Hicks MD, radiologist and owner of Regional Medical Imaging of Flint, MI. "AMICAS actively solicits feedback from practicing radiologists, and I have found that this collaborative process delivers a superior PACS solution for my practice."

"My practice is an ACR-certified Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, so it is important to me to be able to perform all of my reads - including digital mammography, breast MRI, breast ultrasound, BSGI, and all of my multi-modality breast biopsy images - on a single PACS workstation," said Dr. Hicks. "AMICAS has delivered a solution that improves my productivity and allows me to avoid expensive standalone workstations."

source: AMICAS

Study Finds Higher Risk Of Cancer Recurrence In Women With Dense Breasts

A new study finds that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study's results indicate that breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following surgery, such as radiation.

Previous studies indicate that women with dense breast tissue are at increased risk of breast cancer. Researchers have suspected that high breast density may also increase the risk of cancer recurrence after lumpectomy, but this theory has not been thoroughly studied.

source: Medical News Today

High-Resolution Breast PET Improves Breast Cancer Detection

An NIH-sponsored, multi-year study of hundreds of women diagnosed with breast cancer found that Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) scanners significantly outperform MRI when differentiating between benign and cancerous lesions. The prospective study also found that the combination of PEM and breast MRI dramatically increases a physician's ability to detect potentially cancerous lesions over MRI alone, presenting a powerful combination for improving care. The findings released today mean that women and their physicians now have a better tool to help cure cancer.

PEM scanners are high-resolution breast PET systems that can show the location as well as the metabolic phase of a lesion. This information is critical in determining whether a lesion is malignant and influences the course of treatment. Other imaging systems, such as mammography and ultrasound, only show the location, not the metabolic phase. PEM scanners, which are about the size of an ultrasound system, are made in San Diego by Naviscan, Inc. and have been commercially available since 2007.

The NIH study examined 388 women with newly-diagnosed breast cancers, and unlike previous studies on primary lesions, focused on additional or secondary tumors. Understanding the presence of additional tumors is critical to understanding if a lumpectomy or mastectomy is the right surgery. Researchers found that PEM scans accurately distinguished 151 of 189 benign additional lesions, an 80% success rate in what researchers call "specificity." When the same lesions were subject to MRI scans, the specificity dropped to just 66%.

source: NaviScan

New Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Biomarker NVB-64 Visualizes Malignant Breast Tumors

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, supported in part by NuView Life Sciences, have published an article in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine reporting preclinical results of a novel PET biomarker designed to selectively detect malignant breast tumors[1]. "All tumors detected with the new biomarker were malignant and expressed the targeted VPAC1 receptors located on the plasma membrane of the tumor cells." These results have led to initiation of clinical trials, supported by NuView, at Jefferson using this agent in patients with known and suspected breast cancer.

To date, the unsettling report that a patient has a "suspicious mass" on an annual mammogram has automatically dictated a costly and invasive needle biopsy. Soon there may be a choice of care in selecting a diagnostic procedure to determine the benign or malignant nature of the mass. Rather than a protracted waiting period to locate a clinician, find time to schedule a biopsy, endure a painful procedure and wait additional days for lab results to be reported; novel procedures such as a NVB64-PET scan may eventually be available to discriminate between malignant and benign lesions.

source: Medical News Today

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging Proves Cost-Effective For Pre-Surgical Planning Of Patients With Known Cancer Diagnosis

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), a molecular breast imaging technique with comparable sensitivity to breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting breast carcinoma when used in pre-surgical planning for patients with known cancer diagnoses and is substantially less expensive than MRI, according to findings presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, California.

"BSGI proved to be a cost-effective breast diagnostic imaging modality, able to detect mammographically occult breast cancers and provide comparable sensitivity to MRI at a higher patient compliance rate and lower cost," said Dr. Margaret Bertrand, Director of Breast Imaging at Solis Bertrand Breast Center in Greensboro, N.C.

source: Dilon Technologies

Diffuse Optical Tomography For Breast Cancer Screening Fine-Tuned By Researchers

Clemson University researchers in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bremen, Germany, are working to make the physical pain and discomfort of mammograms a thing of the past, while allowing for diagnostic imaging eventually to be done in a home setting.

The group is fine-tuning Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) to create high-resolution images from a scattering of infrared and visible light for the early detection of breast cancer. While the method is less expensive, safer and more comfortable than X-rays used in mammograms, the problem has been generating a strong enough resolution to detect smaller breast cancers.

source: Medical News Today

Studies Advance Early Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of Breast Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO – New studies on the early detection, evaluation and treatment of breast cancer were released today in advance of the 2009 Breast Cancer Symposium. The symposium is being held October 8-10, 2009, at the San Francisco Marriott.

Four major studies were highlighted today in a presscast (press briefing via live webcast):

* Majority of breast cancer deaths occur among women who don’t receive regular mammography: A large, retrospective study shows that nearly three-quarters of breast cancer deaths occur among the minority of women who do not undergo regular screening mammograms.
* Women under age 44 with DCIS have a higher risk of recurrence: A study reports that women with ductal carcinoma in situ (a pre-invasive form of breast cancer) age 44 and younger have almost double the risk of recurrence following breast conservation surgery and radiation therapy than women age 45 to 50, suggesting that more aggressive treatment should be studied in this population.
* Adding low-cost ultrasound prior to surgery can reduce need for second breast cancer surgery: An analysis demonstrates that the addition of axillary ultrasound prior to initial breast-conserving surgery spared nearly one-third of women with early-stage breast cancer who had underarm (axillary) lymph node metastases from a second breast cancer surgery to remove additional axillary nodes.
* New technique identifies breast cancer subtypes and predicts response to adjuvant paclitaxel (Taxol) chemotherapy: A study validates a novel method of tissue analysis, called tissue microarrays, for determining the “intrinsic subtype” of a breast tumor, and accurately uses breast cancer sub-typing to predict response to a specific anticancer drug. These findings will improve physicians’ ability to personalize treatment to maximize benefits and spare patients from unnecessary side effects.

source: American Society of Clinical Oncology

Digital mammography: A decade battling breast cancer

In addition to being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this October is the tenth anniversary of digital mammography, a technology introduced by GE Healthcare in 1999. Similar to digital photography, digital mammography replaces the film used in traditional mammography with digital files viewed and stored on computers. To commemorate the anniversary and its long-standing commitment to fighting breast cancer, GE Healthcare created a digital wall of personal stories from those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer, as well as doctors, scientists and fundraisers who are fighting the disease.

Among those on the digital wall are Sylvia Soo and her personal story battling breast cancer at a young age. A flyover of Asia will take site visitors to Andra Pradesh in India, where Dr. Raghu Ram, after a successful career in the UK, returned with the mission to improve the delivery of breast cancer at home. Back in Europe, a tour of Belgium reveals a “Mammobiel” that is providing breast scans in rural areas.

GE pioneered the development of advanced breast-imaging technologies, making mammography devices since the 1960s. In 1999, GE Healthcare was the first company to introduce full-field digital mammography, having spent 13 years and more than $100 million developing the technology.

source: GE Medical

Canadian Breast Imaging System Ushers in New Era of Breast Cancer Management

CALGARY, Sept. 8 /CNW/ - Ontario biomedical engineer Cameron Piron is to receive a $25,000 prize from the Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation for his development of a dedicated system for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intervention.

MRI is a safe and sensitive imaging tool, but it can be challenging to obtain high quality images of breast tissue. Piron's system
incorporates several innovations that make breast MRI and biopsy highly sensitive, patient-friendly, efficient and cost effective. The Sentinelle Vanguard(R) Breast MRI Table with Variable Coil Geometry(TM) combines ingenuity in computing, engineering and medicine to allow radiologists to detect breast cancer even in its early stages.

Breast cancer affects more women worldwide than any other cancer; in Canada, an estimated 5400 women will die from it this year. With early detection, survival rates can improve from 21 to 96 percent. The Sentinelle Vanguard table allows the patient to be more comfortable while giving the radiologist easier access to the breast tissue in order to obtain MRI guided needle biopsies. The specially designed radiofrequency coils are adjustable to accommodate different body types and can be positioned close to the tissue to improve image resolution.

source: CNW Group

Swift And Accurate Breast Biopsies Via Full-Field Digital Mammography

Patients of the Mammography Department at NHS Fife's Queen Margaret Hospital are now benefitting from faster treatment due to the installation of a Full-Field Direct Digital Mammography system from Siemens Healthcare. The MAMMOMAT Inspiration™ includes a stereotactic biopsy attachment and syngo® MammoReport workstation.

The stereotactic biopsy attachment provides the clinician with valuable guidance through the biopsy procedure enabling vertical and lateral access to breast lesions, of particular use when trying to access technically challenging areas in the breast. The attachment has an easy to use set up and is lightweight, weighing less than 5kg. It also allows clinicians to control the tube angle directly from the workstation, eliminating the need to walk between the system and station.

The stereotactic biopsy attachment provides the clinician with valuable guidance through the biopsy procedure enabling vertical and lateral access to breast lesions, of particular use when trying to access technically challenging areas in the breast.

source: Medical News Today

Digital Mammography Plus Digital Breast Tomosynthesis May Decrease Patient Recall Rates

Nationally, about ten percent of women in the US are recalled for a second mammogram after an abnormality is detected on the first one—for most women this can be very stressful. However the use of digital breast tomosynthesis and full-field digital mammography combined may be associated with a substantial decrease in recall rate, according to a study performed at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. Some researchers believe that digital breast tomosynthesis depicts the breast tissue in a way which may allow radiologists to identify some tumors which could be missed with standard two-dimensional mammography.

The study included 125 patients that were evaluated using a combined method of digital breast tomosynthesis and standard digital mammography. “The use of digital breast tomosynthesis and full-field digital mammography (FFDM) was associated with a 30% reduction in recall rate for cancer-free examinations that would have led to recall if FFDM had been used alone,” said Jules H. Sumkin, MD, one of the authors of the study.

“Patient recalls are problematic at multiple levels. Patients pay an emotional price and it is a sheer inconvenience having to go back for a second appointment. It is also problematic for imaging facilities because they are faced with the high cost of resources required for the recalls,” he said.

“We are confident that recall rates could be decreased by adding breast tomosynthesis to FFDM,” said Dr. Sumkin. Digital breast tomosynthesis is not yet FDA approved.

source: ARRS

Enhanced Digital Breast Imaging From US Navy-Funded Technology

A breakthrough technology adapted for breast cancer detection based in part on research originally sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is set to air July 23 during a CNN International news segment on Vital Signs, a program hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

The technology, referred to by the U.S. Navy as enhanced digital imaging, developed out of the Navy's need to improve capabilities to detect, localize and classify underwater mines. It later served as the point of departure for research conducted by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport (NUWC), part of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), designed to enhance the discrimination of data in complex underwater environments. Researchers at NUWC later patented the enhanced digital imaging process.

source: Medical News Today

Study Challenges Routine Use Of MRI Scans To Evaluate Breast Cancer

Reviewing the records of 577 breast cancer patients, Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers found that women with newly diagnosed breast cancer who receive a breast MRI are more likely to receive a mastectomy after their diagnosis and may face delays in starting treatment. The study demonstrates that, despite the lack of evidence of their benefit, routine use of MRI scans in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer increased significantly between 2004 and 2005, and again in 2006.

The study is online now and will be appearing in the August edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

source: Medical News Today

SOMO·INSIGHT Clinical Study Detects First Cancer in Mammographically Negative Breast Screening Patient at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center

SAN JOSE, Calif. & PEORIA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U-Systems, the leader in dedicated breast ultrasound systems, together with Medical Director Jessica A. Guingrich, MD of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Susan G. Komen Breast Center and Centers for Breast Health announced that they have initiated the SOMO·INSIGHT Clinical Study. The first participants have been enrolled and the first pathologically confirmed cancer has been detected in a mammographically-negative screening patient. The clinical study is examining whether Digital Mammography along with the somo•v™ Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) is more sensitive to detecting breast lesions when compared to Mammography alone in women with dense breasts.

The initiation of this nationwide study, which intends to recruit over 20,000 women, is an important milestone for U-Systems in evaluating new approaches to improved cancer detection. Screening mammography can be limited in women with dense breasts and these women have a higher risk of breast cancer. ABUS uses ultrasound (sound waves) at a safe frequency to create images of the internal breast tissue, unlike mammography, which uses radiation. Ultrasound has been shown to find cancer not visible with mammography in women who have dense breasts. A new approach to improving breast cancer detection is critical for women with dense breasts who undergo mammography. It is for this reason that U-Systems developed the somo•v and is sponsoring the SOMO·INSIGHT clinical study.

source: Business Wire

FDA Clears Hologic R2™ DIGITALNOW™ HD Software Application

Software processes digitized prior film mammograms to produce DICOM images that more closely resemble digital mammograms

BEDFORD, Mass. (June 12, 2009) - Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (NASDAQ: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced that it has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its R2™ DigitalNow™ HD software application.

The R2 DigitalNow HD software is the only FDA-cleared application intended to process digitized screen-film mammograms for comparison purposes. The product is now available worldwide.

By collaborating with radiologists to understand the demands of reading digital mammograms, Hologic created the R2 DigitalNow HD software, which adapts each digitized film image to a selected contrast and tissue intensity that models a digital mammography system. It also embeds a series of look-up tables in the image that allow Integrated Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) mammography conformant workstations to draw out less evident regions of density within digitized films1 .

source: Hologic

Prototype Breast Cancer Imaging System May Improve Patient Care

ScienceDaily (June 15, 2009) — A prototype breast imaging system combining positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies could greatly improve breast cancer imaging capabilities, according to researchers at SNM's 56th Annual Meeting. Although the system has not yet been tested on humans, initial results from the prototype indicate the system produces a fusion of detailed PET and MRI images that should allow a more accurate classification of lesions in the breast.

"PET and MRI systems are both powerful, noninvasive tools for detecting breast cancer and evaluating treatment, but each of them also has weaknesses," said Bosky Ravindranath, research assistant working with Dr. David Schlyer at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y., and lead author of a study on preliminary testing of the prototype. "We believe that combining PET and MRI in a single system will eventually yield highly sensitive and specific breast cancer examinations while at the same time compensating for the shortcomings that exist when using only PET or only MRI."

source: Science Daily (press release)

Breast MRI shows it’s not the size of the lymph node that signals spread of cancer

Physicians treating breast cancer first look to lymph nodes in a patient’s armpit to see whether cancer is spreading elsewhere in the body — but they may not be evaluating the nodes in the most effective way.

Initial research suggested that enlargement and abnormalities of axillary sentinel lymph nodes – located in the armpit area near the breast – were predictive of cancer. But a University of Florida Shands Cancer Center researcher says it’s not the size of the node or enhancement, but the loss of a key part of a normal node’s structure called the fatty hilum that more accurately signals the spread of disease. The findings are available online in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

In addition to changing ideas about what doctors should look for while evaluating lymph nodes, the finding reinforces the value of using MRI to determine the extent of breast cancer prior to surgery.

source: University of Florida College of Medicine

Siemens Mammomat Inspiration Wins Design Awards

Mammomat Inspiration, the digital mammography platform designed by Siemens and designaffairs, has received the iF Product Design Award 2009 and the red dot award: product design 2009. The device for the early detection of breast cancer shows that ease of use, high functionality, and unique design come together beautifully in a single medical engineering product.

Siemens Healthcare and designaffairs jointly designed the Mammomat Inspiration, the first mammography system to incorporate the MoodLight function. MoodLight is an LED glass panel that can be illuminated with freely selectable colors, producing a comfortable, relaxing effect on the patient.

Since 1953, the iF Industrie Forum Design e.V. has presented the internationally recognized iF awards annually. The awards celebrate products that excel with a unique combination of functionality, user friendliness, and esthetics, and meet all the criteria of an innovation. Mammomat Inspiration from Siemens won one of the iF Design prizes in the Medicine / Health+Care category. A total of 802 awards were presented among the 2,808 applicants from 39 countries.

source: Siemens Healthcare

External Beam Partial Breast Irradiation Most Cost-effective Treatment

External beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI) is the most cost-effective method for treating postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer based on utilities, recurrence risks and costs when compared to whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) and brachytherapy partial breast irradiation (brachy-PBI), according to a study in the June 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

PBI is a newer form of radiation therapy for breast cancer where only part of the breast is treated twice a day for four to five days. Radiation oncologists have been studying different methods to deliver the radiation to the tumor. EB-PBI uses high-energy external X-rays to deliver radiation to the breast after a lumpectomy and brachy-PBI delivers radiation through either implanted needles or a small sphere placed into the post-lumpectomy cavity in the breast.

source= ASTRO