Women's health

Digital breast tomosynthesis

By Thomas Mertelmeier, Principal Scientist at Siemens AG Medical Solutions

The 27th Annual Convention of the German Society for Senology

Congress President Professor Juergen Dunst MD praises major advances and multidisciplinary efforts, and outlines future hopes for breast cancer patients

Buzz words: digital mammography

Full field digital mammography (FFDM) and computed radiography (CR) based mammography systems may bring hospitals and breast imaging services closer to gaining digital mammography, but, according to a leading systems vendor, simply buying imaging equipment does not automatically lead to a more efficient workflow.

Tissue elasticity reveals tumours

When equally compressed, the tissue and structure of tumours and inflammations are harder than normal tissue. Hitachi explains that, taking advantage of these alterations, the sono-elastography technique conducts real-time measurements of elasticity ratios during minor pressure to the breast, using conventional ultrasound transducers.

Hospital group streamlines screening

Italy — One of the biggest RIS/PACS implementations in Europe is being co-ordinated the Area Vasta Centro (AVC) group, which runs 12 hospitals in central Tuscany. Among these, CPA Pistoia hospital (one of three in the ASL 3 Pistoia group, a sub-division of AVC) is streamlining its mammography workflow with a CR Mammography system supplied by Agfa HealthCare.

Germany's early detection programme and research

In 2002, Germany implemented an early detection programme for breast cancer. The digital Reference Centre For Mammography at the University Hospital Münster is one of five such centres in the country - and it's one of the most modern, providing digital systems for imaging and results evaluation as well as a mammo-PACS.

Ireland Pulling into Europe's fast lane for digital screening

In Ireland, breast cancer is particularly virulent: 18.5% of all cancer related deaths among the women are due to breast cancer.

Revealing the breast's architecture

2D imaging - whether analogue or digital - is thought to miss detection of 20-30% of breast cancers. Early clinical results from studies using the new technology tomosynthesis indicate its potential to lower those percentages.

27 th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Senology

This year´s congress of the German Society of Senology (June 21.-23. in Lübeck, Germany) will deal with latest developments in the diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer like screening and early detection methods or new diagnostic modalities.

Sectra will lead EU research-project to decrease mortality in breast cancer

The Swedish IT and medical-technology company Sectra, together with clinical and industrial partners from six European countries, has been awarded EUR 3.6 million from the European Union to combat breast cancer through a research project for high-resolution, low-dose X-ray imaging.

Technological synergies effective in detecting breast cancer

The use of computer-aided detection (CAD) with computed radiography (CR) is very effective in the detection of breast cancer according to a recent study at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DEC and iCAD in Nashua, NH.

New technology can reduce number of biopsies

Approximately 75 percent of all biopsies are negative, which is of course the good news. But looking at the side effects of this invasive method combined with a long waiting time for the results, a biopsy is nevertheless an unpleasant procedure for the women affected. A new promising technology now offers the possibility to differentiate benign and malignant tissue due to an adjunct of the…

A world of innovation

The first highlight is the expansion of IMPAX 6, the globally successful web-based PACS for diagnostic mammography.

A promising outlook for new gentle breast cancer therapies

Targeted medication and gentle surgical procedures are the pillars of modern breast cancer therapy, according to participants at this years German Congress of Senology.

Only a fraction of mammography systems are digital

A report by Keith Halson, our correspondent in France.

NICE recommends annual MRI screenings for breast cancer

Guidelines updated for high-risk women aged between 20-49 years.

Agfa HealthCare launches new digital mammography functionality within IMPAX™

At RSNA, Agfa HealthCare introduced a range of functional extensions for digital mammography reading and reporting applications on its industry leading IMPAX™ PACS platform. The company launched IMPAX 6.2 integrated with CAD and MRS® Reporting as well as showing a work-in-progress of a new software application that addresses the growing need for digital mammography screening.

EU challenge to worldwide BRCA2 gene patent

An unparalleled legal challenge has been underway in the EU regarding the number of human gene patents held by US-based corporation Myriad Genetics.

CTLM Seeing through the dense breast

Optical imaging stands on the threshold of a vast array of imaging uses, writes Professor Eric N C Milne MD FRCR FRCP, Professor Emeritus of Radiology and Medicine, University of California Irvine, and Director of Clinical Research, Imaging Diagnostic Systems Inc. `Presently, its greatest worth lies in higher sensitivity for the dense breast. It detects many more occult cancers than conventional…

Into the breast's depths

USA - Radiologists at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts have released findings from a breast cancer research study designed to evaluate the use of software from Advanced Image Enhancement, Inc (AIE) for examining regions of interest (ROI) with Hologic's Lorad Selenia digital mammography system.

Mammography screening arrives in Germany

The Kassenärztliche Vereinigungen (regional Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians) are inviting women aged 50-69 years for mammography screening and, slowly but surely, the appointment books of the centres that perform this early detection examination are filling.