Digital Mammography Delivers Significantly Less Radiation than Conventional Mammography

Data from one of the largest mammography trials in history demonstrates that overall the radiation dose associated with digital mammography is significantly lower (averaging 22 percent lower) than that of conventional film mammography and that the reduction could be greater in women with larger and denser breasts, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

“The ability to reduce the radiation dose for many women is another step forward for breast cancer screening with mammography — which saves thousands of lives each year,” said R. Edward Hendrick, PhD, lead author of the study.

The American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (DMIST) published in 2005, enrolled 49,528 women and found that digital mammography detected significantly (up to 28 percent) more cancers than film mammography in women younger than 50 years of age, premenopausal and preimenopausal women, and women with dense breasts.

In this latest DMIST study, published in AJR, technical data from 5,102 DMIST participants were evaluated, demonstrating that the dose received by women imaged with digital mammography was significantly lower than that received by the same women imaged with standard film mammography.

“The average breast radiation dose per view was 2.37 mGy for film mammography and 1.86 mGy for digital (22 percent lower for digital than film mammography),” said Hendrick.


source: ARRS

Breast Cancer Screening Should Begin at Age 40, New Recommendations Suggest

ScienceDaily (Jan. 5, 2010) — The new recommendations from the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) on breast cancer screening, published in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR), state that breast cancer screening should begin at age 40 and earlier in high-risk patients. The recommendations also suggest appropriate utilization of medical imaging modalities such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound for breast cancer screening.

"The significant decrease in breast cancer mortality, which amounts to nearly 30 percent since 1990, is a major medical success and is due largely to earlier detection of breast cancer through mammography screening," said Carol H. Lee, MD. "For women with the highest risk of developing breast cancer, screening technologies in addition to mammography have been adopted," said Lee.

source: Science Daily Release

Baylor Adds Naviscan PEM Technology to Women’s Imaging Center

The Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas has taken delivery of the Naviscan PEM scanner at its Darlene G. Cass Women’s Imaging Center. Baylor will use PEM (positron emission mammography) to complement their existing anatomical tools by providing a three-dimensional metabolic perspective of breast cancer. The metabolic view allows physicians to make cancer care decisions by providing an improved ability to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions in what researchers call “specificity.” A recent multi-center NIH-sponsored study comparing PEM and MRI highlighted that PEM had improved specificity relative to MRI at comparable sensitivity, what researchers use to describe the ability to see lesions.

The Darlene G. Cass Women’s Imaging Center has been providing breast imaging services in the Dallas area for more than 20 years, performing more than 50,000 breast imaging procedures annually. The center also performs mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy.

source: NEMA

Baylor Adds Naviscan PEM Technology to Women's Imaging Center

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas has taken delivery of the Naviscan PEM scanner at its Darlene G. Cass Women's Imaging Center. Baylor will utilize PEM (Positron Emission Mammography) to complement their existing anatomical tools by providing a critical three-dimensional metabolic perspective of breast cancer. The metabolic view allows physicians to make the optimal cancer care decisions by providing an unprecedented ability to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions in what researchers call "specificity". A recent multi-center NIH-sponsored study comparing PEM and MRI highlighted that PEM had improved specificity relative to MRI at comparable sensitivity, what researchers use to describe the ability to see lesions.

The Darlene G. Cass Women's Imaging Center has been a leader in breast imaging services in the Dallas area for more than 20 years, performing more than 50,000 breast imaging procedures annually. The Women's Imaging Center, which is fully accredited in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, now adds PEM to its imaging services.

source: Naviscan

How Do You Improve Mammogram Accuracy? Add Noise

Members of a Syracuse University research team have shown that an obscure phenomenon called stochastic resonance (SR) can improve the clarity of signals in systems such as radar, sonar and even radiography, used in medical clinics to detect signs of breast cancer. It does this by adding carefully selected noise to the system.

The result has been a distinct improvement in the system's ability to correctly identify precancerous lesions, plus a 36 percent reduction in false positives. The inventors have developed a novel method of calculating precisely the correct type and level of noise to add to existing noise in radiography or a similar system.

source: Medical News Today

Elevated-Risk Women Refuse MRI Breast Cancer Screening

ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2009) — In a new study published in the January issue of Radiology, 42 percent of women eligible for breast cancer screening with MRI declined to undergo the procedure.

"Given that MRI is promoted as a very sensitive test to identify early breast cancer, we were surprised that barely half of women at increased risk for breast cancer would undergo MRI even when offered at no cost," said Wendie A. Berg, M.D., Ph.D., breast imaging specialist at American Radiology Services, Johns Hopkins -- Green Spring Station in Lutherville, Md. "This suggests the need for alternative methods, such as ultrasound, to help screen women at increased risk for breast cancer."

Some groups of women who are at high risk for breast cancer need to begin screening at a younger age, because they often develop cancer earlier than women at average risk. However, women below age 50 are more likely to have dense breast tissue, which can limit the effectiveness of mammography as a screening tool.

source: Science Daiy release

Dilon Diagnostics Gamma-Guided Localization System Cleared by FDA

GammaLoc(R) Helps Locate Breast Lesions Quickly and Accurately for Biopsy

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Dilon Diagnostics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for its lesion-localization system for molecular imaging biopsy guidance.

GammaLoc(®), pronounced "gamma-loke", is a complementary technology to Dilon's cornerstone product, the Dilon 6800(®) Gamma Camera. The GammaLoc(®) (GL) system will help doctors accurately locate breast lesions and enable gamma-guided biopsies, particularly useful for patients that have findings on the Dilon system that are not revealed with other imaging modalities.

The GammaLoc(® )system utilizes a CorreLocator(TM) paddle and a StereoView(TM) imaging collimator system - a technique similar to that used in stereotactic X-ray localization, and the GammaLoc(®) software calculates the specific location of the suspect lesion. The compact design allows for breast biopsies with optimal patient comfort; and the entire system is small and portable, allowing physicians to perform molecular imaging guided biopsy procedures anywhere on site.

"Thanks to the superior performance of the Dilon 6800 camera combined with this new biopsy-guidance capability, physicians will find it easier to locate suspicious lesions seen with molecular breast imaging, greatly facilitating and expediting the biopsy process," said Robert Moussa, President and CEO of Dilon Diagnostics. "This recent innovation helps physicians improve patient management and confidently deliver faster, more accurate results to their anxious patients."

source: PR Newswire

Mammography Use and False Positives Among Women Younger Than 40 Years Old Differ Between Minority Populations

HOUSTON - Breast cancer screening guidelines generally recommend mammography begin at age 40. However, based on prior national research, an estimated 34 percent of non-Hispanic black women, 30 percent of non-Hispanic white women and 22 percent of Hispanic women aged 30 to 39 have reported having a mammogram.

"Our goals are to better understand who these women are that are getting mammograms at such a young age and their outcomes," said Julie M. Kapp, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia and lead author of the study, who presented the data at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, Dec. 6-9 in Houston.

Through the NCI Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, the researchers examined the first mammograms of women aged 18 to 39 with no prior history of breast cancer. The sample included 99,615 mammograms.

Even though the risk of developing breast cancer before age 40 is lower than 1 percent, research showed that the majority of first mammograms in this study were for screening purposes, rather than evaluation of a breast problem. Screening mammograms ranged from 69 percent among black women to 81 percent among Asian women.

source: AACR

New FDA Approved Breast Cancer Screening Tool

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The FDA has approved new technology that now allows radiologists to detect breast cancer sooner and faster. The SonoCine Automated Whole-breast Ultrasound Method and is being offered by only one facility in Arizona - Arizona Breastnet, in Scottsdale. This unique technology is designed specifically as a breast cancer screening tool to enhance yearly mammography screening. Until now, ultrasound has only been used for diagnostic purposes - not for screening for breast cancer.

A new study, published in European Radiology, found that adding the SonoCine automated whole-breast ultrasound exam to the annual mammogram doubled the number of cancers found in a group representing approximately 40% of all women seeking annual mammograms. This contrasts with previous studies which have examined the use of additional tests only on women with significantly elevated risks of developing breast cancer.

Local radiologist, Belinda Barclay-White, MD, is the first physician to offer this technology in Arizona, and has already experienced its powerful capabilities.

According to Dr. Barclay-White, "87% of all breast cancers are found in women who have none of the traditional risk factors, such as family history. There have been many studies done on women with the BRAC1 and BRAC2 breast cancer gene and other risk factors, but not much is being done for relatively normal women for whom the mammogram does not always provide a complete picture."

source: PR Newswire

Philips Introduces Multi-modality Breast Workspace to Complement Comprehensive Portfolio of Diagnostic Imaging Solutions for Breast Care

Chicago, USA – At this year’s annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) will introduce the Integral Breast Workspace, a set of solutions that provides radiologists the ability to review multi-modality breast images at one workspot to help drive quality and efficiency. Showcasing its commitment to breast care, Philips will also highlight new capabilities for its portfolio of diagnostic imaging systems in Mammography, Ultrasound and MRI.

Globally, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women. New guidelines suggest a multi-modality approach to screening, diagnosis and management. With an increasing number of patients and the need to review data from multiple modalities, radiologists are challenged with keeping up with the volume of studies that must be interpreted and reported on multiple workstations. Philips Integral Breast Workspace addresses this need for integrated image and information management.

"Think of all the duplicate work we currently do with all the separate systems," said Gillian Newstead, M.D., director of Clinical Breast Imaging at the University of Chicago. "Integration will save us a lot of time. And, at the same time it connects to better care for the patients by more accurately relating findings from the different modalities."

source: Philips Healthcare

Elastography Reduces Unnecessary Breast Biopsies

Elastography is an effective, convenient technique that, when added to breast ultrasound, helps distinguish cancerous breast lesions from benign results, according to an ongoing study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

When mammography yields suspicious findings, physicians often use ultrasound to obtain additional information. However, ultrasound has the potential to result in more biopsies because of its relatively low specificity, or inability to accurately distinguish cancerous lesions from benign ones. Approximately 80 percent of breast lesions biopsied turn out to be benign, according to the American Cancer Society.

source: Medical News Today

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