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