Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Found to Be Highly Sensitive for Early Stage Breast Cancer

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- According to an article in the June issue of Radiology, researchers at The George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. have shown that Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is highly sensitive in detecting the presence of cancer. The researchers determined that BSGI was a useful detection tool and that it was as sensitive as MRI for most cancers and perhaps more sensitive for ductal carcinoma in-situ, an early stage of breast cancer.

BSGI, molecular imaging of the breast utilizing a high-resolution, small-field-of-view gamma camera, is an increasingly utilized adjunct imaging modality for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Initial studies with this imaging technique report sensitivities similar to MRI with a higher specificity -- which is the ability of a test to show when disease is not present.

source: PRNewswire

Naviscan PET Systems and Rockville PET Imaging Partner to Bring a New Breast Imaging Technology to New York

SAN DIEGO, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Naviscan PET Systems, Inc., a privately held company that manufactures and develops high-resolution PET scanners, announced today the newest installation of the PEM Flex(TM) Solo II scanner at Rockville PET Imaging, P.C. in Rockville Centre, New York. This installation marks the beginning of a multi-unit deal between Naviscan and the operators of Rockville PET Imaging that will bring organ specific, molecular imaging technology to multiple centers throughout the New York state area.

"We are pleased and excited at the growing strategic relationship between Rockville PET Imaging and Naviscan PET Systems," said Paul J. Mirabella, Chairman and CEO of Naviscan. "Both of us believe that this leading-edge technology will significantly and positively influence the effective management of breast cancer patients. Moreover, this multi-unit order represents a highly visible commitment on the part of Rockville PET Imaging to provide differential, personalized healthcare and diagnostic services throughout the greater New York metropolitan area."

source: Yahoo Finance (press release)

MRI Use May Explain Part Of The Trend In Rising Mastectomies Say Mayo Researchers

The number of women undergoing mastectomy (total breast removal) for early-stage breast cancer has increased in the last three years at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The increase follows a steady decline during the prior seven years.

Researchers say the reasons for this increase are unclear. But they have determined that women at Mayo Clinic who underwent diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to surgery to treat early-stage breast cancer had a higher rate of mastectomy, compared to women who did not have an MRI.

source: Medical News Today

Supplemental Breast Ultrasound Boosts Cancer Detection

Among women at high risk of developing breast cancer, breast ultrasound combined with mammography may detect more cancers than mammography alone, according to results of a multicenter trial that included UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers.

Overall, 40 participants were diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those cases, a dozen lesions were suspicious only on ultrasound and eight were suspicious on both ultrasound and mammography.

The most recent findings, presented in the current issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, are from the first round of screening in the American College of Radiology Imaging Network's ACRIN-6666 trial. More than 2,800 women at high risk of developing breast cancer participated. The median age of the participants was 55 years and more than half had a personal history of breast cancer.

source: Medical News Today

Siemens To Showcase Full Field Digital Mammography System And Other Breast Imaging Innovations At Symposium Mammographicum 2008

At Symposium Mammographicum 2008, in Lille, France, Siemens will be showcasing the latest innovations in full field digital mammography and breast imaging. In addition to the new MAMMOMAT Inspiration, the ACUSON S2000 ultrasound system and the MammoReport workstation will be displayed on stand 11/12.

The MAMMOMAT Inspiration is a full field digital mammography system designed to meet the needs of the patient, the user and clinician. New compression technologies, paddle design and mood lighting offer the latest in patient comfort, plus the isocentric rotation of the X-ray tube and examination functionality have been enhanced to offer easy and fast workflow to improve patient throughput. Furthermore, the MAMMOMAT Inspiration is a future proof solution for stereotactic biopsy and to provide 3D imaging using tomosynthesis.

source: MedicalNewsToday

Six-Month Follow-Up Diagnostic Mammograms Recommended for Women with Probably Benign Lesions

Radiologists can, with confidence, recommend a six-month follow-up diagnostic mammogram rather than an immediate biopsy for patients with “probably benign” breast lesions, a new study emphasizes.

The study found that six-month short-interval follow-up examinations had an 83% sensitivity, which is similar to the sensitivity of other diagnostic mammograms, said Erin J. Aiello Bowles, MPH, lead author of the study from the Group Health Center for Health Studies. High sensitivity means identifying a high proportion of “true positives” (actual cancer cases) and a low proportion of “false negatives” (cases mistakenly deemed benign).

source: American Roentgen Ray Society

Alternative To Biopsy For Women With Probably Benign Lesions

Radiologists can, with confidence, recommend a six-month follow-up diagnostic mammogram rather than an immediate biopsy for patients with "probably benign" breast lesions, a new study emphasizes.

The study found that six-month short-interval follow-up examinations had an 83% sensitivity, which is similar to the sensitivity of other diagnostic mammograms, said Erin J. Aiello Bowles, MPH, lead author of the study from the Group Health Center for Health Studies. High sensitivity means identifying a high proportion of "true positives" (actual cancer cases) and a low proportion of "false negatives" (cases mistakenly deemed benign).

source: Medical News Today

DR Systems’ Integration of Mammography with PACS to Be Showcased at ACR Meeting

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DR Systems will be demonstrating its industry-leading approach to integrating digital mammography into its top-ranked Unity™ RIS/PACS at the American College of Radiology’s 33rd National Conference on Breast Cancer.

The conference will be held May 8-10 in Orlando, Fla. DR Systems will be at Booth 103 in the Coquita Exhibit Hall.

Nearly 50 facilities nationwide have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, DR Systems’ sophisticated integration of PACS and digital mammography.

DR Systems avoids the problems of reading and archiving digital mammograms on a stand-alone mammography workstation by tightly integrating digital mammograms with its PACS. This approach saves capital costs and floor space in the radiology department and better leverages the institution’s investment in its PACS. It also makes radiologists more efficient and productive.

sourc: BusinessWire

Sectra: Women in Brussels Provided Choice of Mammography with Unmatched Lowest Radiation Dose

Brussels Menopause Center, a private clinic for women’s health in Belgium, has chosen Sectra MicroDose Mammography to offer women in Brussels mammography examinations at the lowest radiation dose on the market. The clinic is first in the Brussels region to offer women this benefit.

Brussels Menopause Center is a highly specialized women’s health clinic. Specialties include gynecology, mammography, and detection and treatment of osteoporosis. The clinic performs approximately 7,000 screening and clinical mammography examinations annually.

The clinic is digitizing its mammography operations and will implement Sectra’s total solution for digital mammography, including Sectra MicroDose Mammography and Sectra Breast Imaging PACS (a system for managing and archiving digital breast images). With Sectra’s solution, Brussels Menopause Center will be able to offer women in Brussels mammography examinations with a significantly lower radiation dose than any other system on the market. Digitizing the mammography operations will also increase workflow efficiency and provide radiologists with instant access to images and information regardless of location.

source: Business Wire

Carestream Health Announces Canadian Orders for its Mammograpgy System

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Carestream Health, Inc., has signed contracts for its computed radiography-based mammography solutions with healthcare providers in Canada. The KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR Mammography feature is available for order with new or existing CR 850/950/975 systems and the recently announced Classic and Elite CR systems. These flexible CR platforms can be used for both mammography and general radiography exams.

The following mammography providers are among those that have placed orders for the CR Mammography feature:
Courtice Medical Center (Courtice, Ontario) purchased a KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR 850 with the CR Mammography feature as a dedicated mammography unit.

Insight Medical Imaging (Spruce Grove, Alberta) purchased two KODAK DIRECTVIEW Elite CR Systems with the CR Mammography feature.

full press release at Carestream