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

Breast MRI Detects Additional "Unsuspected" Cancers Not Seen On Mammography Or Ultrasound

Nearly 20% of patients with recently diagnosed breast cancer had additional malignant tumors found only by MRI, according to a study performed at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

A total of 199 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer underwent breast MRI. "We found additional, unsuspected cancers in the ipsilateral breast (the one that had already been diagnosed with cancer) in 16% of patients; we found cancers in the contralateral breast (the one that had not been diagnosed with cancer) in 4% of patients," said Petra J. Lewis, MD, lead author of the study. "These patients had already had bilateral mammography and these tumors had not been apparent on mammography," said Dr. Lewis.

source: Medical News Today

Germany's Göttingen University Buys ART SoftScan Optical Breast Imaging System

Montreal, Canada, May 12, 2009 - ART Advanced Research Technologies Inc. ("ART") (TSX: ARA), a Canadian medical device company and a leader in optical molecular imaging products for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, announced today that it has received a purchase order for one of its SoftScan® breast imaging systems from the Department of Radiology of the University Medical Center Göttingen, in Germany.

"We are very proud to see that the interdisciplinary molecular imaging group of the University of Göttingen, in cooperation with the Max-Planck-Institute of Experimental Medicine, has chosen our SoftScan breast imaging system to conduct world-class research in the field of translational oncology and radiology and to have them among our growing base of clients," said Sébastien Gignac, Chairman & CEO of ART. "The fact that the Interdisciplinary Imaging Group Göttingen, in which radiologists, oncologists, physicists, molecular biologists, imaging scientists and chemists work in close collaboration, has ordered a SoftScan system is testimony to the power of our technology to address the needs of leading researchers in the field of oncology," added Mr. Gignac.

source: ART

ARRS 2009: Diffusion-Weighted Imaging May Improve Accuracy of Breast MRI

May 4, 2009 (Boston, Massachusetts) — Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) used to distinguish malignant vs benign breast lesions during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is helpful and may reduce the number of unnecessary breast biopsies, according to new research.

DWI is a technique involving the exchange of water molecules (diffusion) between breast tissue compartments. Diffusion rates vary between normal and pathologic tissue. With DWI MRI, the MRI machine is set to detect small restrictions in the free movement of water within the breast. Restricted diffusion areas show as hot spots on the MRI.

"The main aim of our work is to help save women from unnecessary breast biopsies," said lead investigator R. El-Khouli, MD, who lead the study when she was at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, but is now with the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. She presented study results here last week at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) 2009 Annual Meeting.

source: Medscape

3T MRI Detects “Early” Breast Cancer Not Seen on Mammography and Sonography

3T MRI, a powerful tool for evaluating patients with a high risk of having breast cancer, can detect a significant number of lesions not found on mammography and sonography, according to a study performed at the University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH.

The study included 434 women who underwent mammography, sonography and 3T MRI for the detection of malignant breast lesions—all women were at high risk. Results showed that 3T MRI detected 66/66 malignant lesions; mammography detected 54/66 malignant lesions; and sonography detected 57/66 malignant lesions. “3T MRI depicted a significantly higher number of malignant tumors of the breast than mammography and sonography,” said Haitham Elsamaloty, MD, lead author of the study.

“Our study detected ‘early’ breast cancer (lesions as small as 4 mm) in size and also identified malignant lesions that were only detected by MRI and confirmed by MRI guided biopsy. These crucial findings led to a significant change in patient management in 18.2% of the cases in our study.

“Our study suggests an important role for 3T MRI in such high risk groups for an early diagnosis of breast cancer and better accuracy in evaluating the extent of disease—a crucial factor in appropriate therapy planning,” said Dr. Elsamaloty.

source: ARRS

Integrating PACS with Digital Mammography was Focus of Presentation at NCBC Meeting

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Integrating digital mammography with PACS proved far better than reading mammograms on mammo-only specialty workstations. That was the conclusion reported by a Pennsylvania hospital, in a poster presentation at the recent National Consortium of Breast Centers’ (NCBC) conference.

The presentation was by Peggy Wright, Supervisor of Women’s Imaging at Butler Health System, in Butler, Penn. She reported on using Butler’s Unity™ RIS/PACS from DR Systems to integrate digital mammography and PACS.

Butler concluded that integrating digital mammography with a mammography-oriented PACS helped the hospital avoid a costly space remodel. It also made reading, results reporting, and billing more efficient and provided better service to referring physicians.

“Not having to spend the capital for a space remodel was a key for us,” said Wright. “Even so, the advantages of integrating our digital mammography equipment with our PACS would probably have led us to that solution even without the space issue. Integrating digital mammography with the DR Systems PACS made it possible for us to reap the clinical and capacity-enhancing advantages of digital mammography, without a loss of efficiency and productivity.”

An imaging facility has two options for implementing full-field digital mammography (FFDM). It can integrate FFDM with its PACS so that all digital imaging modalities are read on the facility’s existing PACS workstation. Or it can have digital mammograms read on special mammography reading stations and mini-PACS acquired from an FFDM vendor.

source: Business Wire

Carestream Health’s Multi-Modality Breast Imaging Workstation Streamlines Digital Workflow, Improves Radiologist Productivity

ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 23 — Healthcare facilities nationwide are turning to vendor-neutral, multi-modality breast imaging workstations to streamline reading of digital breast exams.

“Productivity at many U.S. facilities is hampered by the need to read full-field digital mammography (FFDM) exams on each vendor’s proprietary workstation, and then switch to additional workstations to review other types of breast exams. The need for an efficient workflow is driving strong sales for our flexible multi-modality workstation,” said Stephen W. Archer, Director of Worldwide Marketing, Mammography Solutions, Carestream Health, Inc.

The KODAK CARESTREAM Mammography Workstation enables diagnostic review of all breast imaging exams (FFDM, ultrasound, MR, CR and others) as well as all general radiology exams.

source: Carestream

Further Testing With Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Uncovers Additional Cancer in Breast Cancer Patients, Changes Surgical Management

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A study from Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, revealed today that additional breast cancer was found in 9 percent of patients when Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) was used to complement mammography, substantially impacting surgical treatment. A total of 82 patients underwent BSGI for newly diagnosed breast cancer; of these, 18 had an additional abnormality, and 17 were biopsied. The findings were presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2009 Annual Meeting in San Diego.

BSGI, a molecular breast imaging technique, is an adjunct to mammography that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover early stage cancers. With BSGI, the patient receives a pharmaceutical tracing agent that is absorbed by all the cells in the body. Due to their increased rate of metabolic activity, cancerous cells in the breast absorb a greater amount of the tracing agent than normal, healthy cells and generally appear as "dark spots" on the BSGI image. The Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera is a high-resolution, compact gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI.

source: PR Newswire

3T MRI Detects “Early” Breast Cancer Not Seen on Mammography and Sonography

3T MRI, a powerful tool for evaluating patients with a high risk of having breast cancer, can detect a significant number of lesions not found on mammography and sonography, according to a study performed at the University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH.

The study included 434 women who underwent mammography, sonography and 3T MRI for the detection of malignant breast lesions—all women were at high risk. Results showed that 3T MRI detected 66/66 malignant lesions; mammography detected 54/66 malignant lesions; and sonography detected 57/66 malignant lesions. “3T MRI depicted a significantly higher number of malignant tumors of the breast than mammography and sonography,” said Haitham Elsamaloty, MD, lead author of the study.

“Our study detected ‘early’ breast cancer (lesions as small as 4 mm) in size and also identified malignant lesions that were only detected by MRI and confirmed by MRI guided biopsy. These crucial findings led to a significant change in patient management in 18.2% of the cases in our study.

“Our study suggests an important role for 3T MRI in such high risk groups for an early diagnosis of breast cancer and better accuracy in evaluating the extent of disease—a crucial factor in appropriate therapy planning,” said Dr. Elsamaloty.

“High field strength (3T) MRI systems are becoming increasingly available in the clinical setting and more of them are being used for the evaluation of breast malignancy. 3T MRI is an important addition to mammography and sonography,” he said.

This study appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. For a copy of the full study, please contact Heather Curry via email at hcurry@arrs.org.

source: ARRS

New Guidelines on Use of Breast MRI

New guidelines for the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosing breast cancer and making treatment decisions have been published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2009;7:193-201).

The key recommendations state that MRI should not be used as a substitute for screening or diagnostic mammography or diagnostic breast ultrasound, but rather as a supplement to those imaging techniques; that surgical decisions should not be based solely on MRI findings, and that suspicious lesions should be biopsied before a surgery plan is devised; that MRI can find the location of cancer in the breast in the rare cases that cancer is found in the lymph nodes but not in the breast; and that MRI provides enhanced detection in both breasts in women with diagnosed breast cancer.

source: Oncology Nursing News

Surgical Gel Used To Stop Bleeding Could Confuse Mammograms

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- Dr. Kathleen Ward noticed something odd when she examined the mammogram of a patient who had recently undergone breast cancer surgery.

The Loyola University Health System radiologist saw a suspicious pattern of white specks, much like grains of salt. The specks were calcium deposits similar to microcalcifications that sometimes are a sign of early breast cancer. But it was too early for the patient's breast cancer to have returned because it had been only a month since her lumpectomy.

It turns out the microcalcifications were not from cancer. Rather, they were due to a gel that is sometimes used during surgery to stop bleeding. In a recent article in the American Journal of Roentgenology, Ward and colleagues reported seven cases in which the sealant mimicked malignant microcalcifications in mammograms.

The sealant, FloSeal, "is not recommended for use on breast tissue," Ward and colleagues wrote. Ward is Medical Director of Women's Health Imaging and an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

source: Loyola Medicine

SenoRx Announces Launch of a New SenoSonix(tm) Model With a Portable Hand-Carry Laptop Ultrasound Component

IRVINE, Calif., Apr 9, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- SenoRx, Inc. (Nasdaq:SENO) today announced the launch of an additional model of its SenoSonix(tm) System. Like the original SenoSonix, the new model is an integration of SenoRx's EnCor(r) breast biopsy system with ultrasound imaging. This new version of the device incorporates a microminiaturization ultrasound technology that combines personal computing power and flexibility. The new ultrasound component is designed, developed and manufactured by Terason, a division of Teratech Corporation, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. This versatile and unique ultrasound technology coupled with SenoRx's proprietary EnCor vacuum-assisted biopsy technology results in an attractive alternative model of the SenoSonix System for our customers. The modular design and sophisticated imaging architecture are now available in a reduced footprint with increased portability. The SenoSonix System received 510(k) clearance in October 2007 and CE Mark approval in April 2008.

"Our new SenoSonix model is designed to meet the needs of breast surgeons performing breast biopsy procedures utilizing ultrasound in both their offices and in the hospital surgery suite who wish to have the flexibility of moving the ultrasound component between the two locations," said Lloyd Malchow, SenoRx President and Chief Executive Officer. "The new system may be particularly well suited for markets in Europe and Asia where a significant percentage of biopsy procedures are performed utilizing ultrasound. We are pleased to be working with Terason on this compact portable solution. We will begin introducing this product in the U.S. and in select countries in which we have launched the EnCor breast biopsy system."

source:SeoRx

Computer Based Model Helps Radiologists Diagnose Breast Cancer

Radiologists have developed a computer based model that aids them in discriminating between benign and malignant breast lesions, according to a study performed at the University Of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, WI. The model was developed by a multidisciplinary group, including radiologists and industrial engineers, led by Elizabeth S. Burnside, MD, Oguzhan Alagoz, PhD, and Jagpreet Chhatwal, PhD.

“The computer based model was designed to help the radiologist calculate breast cancer risk based on abnormality descriptors like mass shape; mass margins; mass density; mass size; calcification shape and distribution,” said Elizabeth S. Burnside, MD, and Jagpreet Chhatwal, MD, lead authors to the study. “When the radiologist combined his/her assessment with the computer model the radiologist was able to detect 41 more cancers than when they didn’t use the model. The model was created based upon findings of 48,744 mammograms in a breast imaging reporting database and found that the use of hormones and a family history of breast cancer did not contribute significant predictive ability in this context,” they said.

“One of the important roles of a radiologist is to interpret observations made on mammograms and predict the likelihood of breast cancer. However, assessing the influence of each observation in the context of an increasing number of complex risk factors is difficult for the human brain. In this study, we developed a computer model that is designed to aid a radiologist in breast cancer risk prediction to improve accuracy and reduce variability,” said Drs. Burnside and Chhatwal.

source: ARRS

New Computer Imaging System for Breast Augmentation in New Jersey

A new computer imaging system for breast augmentation is helping New Jersey patients plan better procedures. Dr. Evan Sorokin, a breast enlargement surgeon in New Jersey, says that the new Portrait 3D imaging system helps allow for more accurate results and greater peace of mind during recovery.

Marlton, N.J. (PRWEB) April 2, 2009 -- A local breast augmentation plastic surgeon is the first to offer patients in the greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey areas an opportunity to plan procedures more accurately using a technologically advanced computer imaging system. Dr. Evan Sorokin (http://www.delawarevalleybreasts.com), a board-certified plastic surgeon performing cosmetic and reconstructive procedures such as breast enlargement in New Jersey says that his patients are already benefiting from his practice's newly acquired digital imaging system, which offers the next generation of imaging technology and allows women to preview and compare possible surgical outcomes before surgery.

"I'm very excited to see how this system is already helping my patients clarify their goals," Dr. Sorokin says. "Today, since breast augmentation patients in New Jersey have so many options to choose from, I am always looking for new ways to simplify the decision-making process. My patients definitely appreciate being able to compare their options visually, and the system factors in each patient's skin and tissue type to more accurately reflect cosmetic surgery results."

source: eMediaWire

Merge Healthcare Enhances Mammography Review Solution

Milwaukee, WI, March 6, 2009 – Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE), a leading medical imaging solutions provider, today announced the latest update to its Cedara I-ReadMammo vendor solution for digital breast imaging review. Version 6.5 is built on over 10 years of continuous development, making it one of the longest running, non-proprietary mammography review software in the industry. Since mammography is a high volume area of radiology subject to its own set of regulations, the software for reviewing these images must be highly specialized. Experience in meeting these regulations, while also allowing for efficient review, is critical.

Merge Healthcare’s Cedara I-ReadMammo 6.5 supports 10 bit medical monitors, which display up to 1,024 simultaneous levels of gray versus the 256 offered by 8-bit monitors. Merge partnered with Barco, a global display and visualization company, for quality control in the development. “I’m very pleased to see the full support for 10-bit precision image display added in version 6.5 of Cedara I-ReadMammo,” said Albert Xthona, Product Manager for Digital Mammography at Barco. “This image enhancement contributes to better mammography workflow, because the actual image interpretation goes faster.”

source= Merge Healthcare

Imaging Diagnostic Systems Achieves Technical Breakthrough with New Reconstruction Algorithm

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Imaging Diagnostic Systems, Inc., (OTCBB:IMDS) a pioneer in laser optical breast cancer imaging systems, announced today that it has enhanced its CT Laser Mammography (CTLM®) system with a reconstruction algorithm that improves visualization of angiogenesis (cancer) in its images.

During a CTLM examination the breast is illuminated by a laser and the transmitted light is collected by a series of photo detectors and transformed into digital data. The reconstruction algorithm uses this data to create the various images of the breasts. The improved algorithm enhances the images by reducing the number of artifacts occasionally produced during an examination thereby making diagnosis easier.

“Our first-generation reconstruction algorithms were developed and evaluated using data acquired during our initial clinical trials. Since those trails, we have deployed over 26 systems worldwide, providing us with CTLM data from thousands of patients. IDSI’s Research & Development team used this data to optimize the reconstruction algorithms in order to provide better clarity and reduced artifact in CTLM images. We also incorporated streamlined numerical methods into the software so that the new algorithm does not require additional computing resources, allowing us to provide the improved functionality to existing customers as a software upgrade,” stated Steven Ponder, Ph.D., Director of Advanced Development/Imaging Diagnostic Systems.

source: Business Wire

Siemens Celebrates 1,000th Installation of Its All-in-One Digital Mammography Solution

Malvern, Pa., March 10, 2009 – Siemens Healthcare (www.siemens.com/healthcare) celebrates a milestone with the 1,000th installation of its MAMMOMAT® NovationDR, a full-field digital mammography system for screening, diagnostics, and biopsy applications. Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital, an 80-bed community hospital in El Dorado, Kansas, recently received the MAMMOMAT NovationDR, the first system to merge Siemens’ long-standing networking expertise with all the advantages of full-field digital mammography to optimize clinical workflow.

The MAMMOMAT NovationDR is designed to handle the mammography workup from patient registration and image acquisition to post-processing and reading. The system features Siemens’ exclusive dual anode technology. This tube offers three anode/filter combinations that match breast density and thickness – Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, and W/Rh. With Tungsten technology and high mA output, even dense breasts are examined with shorter exposure times. Dose can be reduced by up to 50 percent, while maintaining image quality.

source: Siemens

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Can Reduce the Number of Unnecessary Breast Biopsies When Compared to MRI

Pivotal Study Presented at Interdisciplinary Breast Center Conference

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Women that require additional diagnostic imaging after a questionable mammogram may be at risk for unnecessary biopsies when only magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is offered, according to a new study presented at the 19th Annual National Interdisciplinary Breast Center Conference in Las Vegas.

"Our goal was to see if BSGI could be used to improve upon the specificity of MRI, and also reduce the number of biopsies. The study is important because with the addition of BSGI, we could eliminate the need for 50 percent of biopsies or possibly change a patient's decision to have more radical surgery," said Dr. Leora Lanzkowsky, Director of Women's Imaging, CHW - Nevada Imaging Centers in Las Vegas.

BSGI has comparable sensitivity but superior specificity when compared to MRI. Sensitivity refers to the ability of an imaging technique to detect the presence of disease. Specificity refers to the technique's ability to detect that disease is actually not present.

source: PR Newswire

Siemens Celebrates 1,000th Installation of Its All-in-One Digital Mammography Solution

Malvern, Pa., March 10, 2009 – Siemens Healthcare (www.siemens.com/healthcare) celebrates a milestone with the 1,000th installation of its MAMMOMAT® NovationDR, a full-field digital mammography system for screening, diagnostics, and biopsy applications. Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital, an 80-bed community hospital in El Dorado, Kansas, recently received the MAMMOMAT NovationDR, the first system to merge Siemens’ long-standing networking expertise with all the advantages of full-field digital mammography to optimize clinical workflow.

The MAMMOMAT NovationDR is designed to handle the mammography workup from patient registration and image acquisition to post-processing and reading. The system features Siemens’ exclusive dual anode technology. This tube offers three anode/filter combinations that match breast density and thickness – Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, and W/Rh. With Tungsten technology and high mA output, even dense breasts are examined with shorter exposure times. Dose can be reduced by up to 50 percent, while maintaining image quality.

source: Siemens Medical