Mammography

Preliminary findings from a national trial of ultrasound as a screening tool in patients at high risk for breast cancer shed light on key variables that influence radiologist interpretive performance.

Hologic, which in recent years has made women’s health its principal focus, is showing its full-field digital breast tomosynthesis system as a work-in-progress for the second consecutive RSNA meeting. Despite growing interest in this technology, the company expects to present it as a work-in-progress again next year.

The Access Breast Coil appearing for the first time at the RSNA meeting has a multichannel phased-array architecture to enhance image quality of the breast, axillary tissue, and chest wall. The investigational device, which is being shown at the Confirma booth, has multiple receivers to power the phased-array coils, which may reduce MR imaging time, as well as a large field-of-view. It can support unilateral and bilateral imaging.

PET pioneer acquires micro-CT firm CTI Molecular Imaging plans to acquire ImTek, a provider of micro-CT systems for imaging laboratory animals used in medical research. The $3.75 million cash deal is expected to close by the end of November. Financial performance and milestone achievements hold the potential for future incentive payments. The acquisition of ImTek, which designs and manufactures the MicroCAT scanners, would complement CTI Concorde, a business unit of CTI Molecular Imaging dedicated to the manufacture of micro-PET scanners.

Full-field digital mammography and advanced digital applications will dominate this year’s mammography offerings on the RSNA exhibit floor.

Digital mammography is inevitable. People may argue over the details, but everyone accepts the fact that screen-film mammography-radiology's last major analog holdout-cannot stand forever.

Hormone replacement therapy, previous breast surgery, and a low body mass index may reduce the accuracy of screening mammography, according to a study in the August issue of the British Medical Journal.

Philips cuts deal with healthcare enterpriseMarietta Memorial Hospital and Philips have struck a multiyear strategic agreement to bring advanced medical technology, clinical support, and staff education to the southeastern region of Ohio. Marietta and Philips have worked together for more than 10 years to outfit Marietta’s Cancer Center with digital x-ray and CT simulator systems.

Just like double-checking a grocery receipt to make sure you haven’t been overcharged, researchers suggest attention be paid to x-ray stereotactic biopsy cores to ensure they contain previously targeted calcifications. Cores obtained without such calcifications have a higher chance of missing malignant lesions.

Computed radiography for mammography cannot yet be sold in the U.S., but mammographers elsewhere in the world have been able to buy it from Agfa Healthcare. Many of those who bought this technology, called the Embrace CR (1A), probably wish they hadn’t.

Mammo display receives clearance for marketThe U.S. market will soon have a new flat-panel display for mammography. Barco has received FDA clearance to begin marketing its Coronis 5MP Mammo product. The clearance comes just weeks after the FDA passed Barco’s CRT-based MGD 521M mammography display.

The FDA issued on July 13 a 510(k) clearance to Totoku Electric for its ME511L, a 5-megapixel monochrome digital mammography LCD monitor. SCAN incorrectly stated that the clearance was obtained by U.S. Electronics, a distributor of Totoku monitors in the

Fuji Medical Systemes France has placed its first order for Barco's new Coronis 5MP Mammo, a 5-megapixel flat-panel display system for digital mammography. The order, announced Aug. 19, came immediately after the official product launch in May, according

Another vendor is ready to enter the market for digital mammography. Siemens Medical Solutions obtained FDA approval Aug. 20 for its Mammomat Novation DR full-field digital mammography system.Siemens is the fourth vendor to offer such a product in the

Mammography has always been held to a higher level of diagnostic quality than garden variety imaging devices. So when full-field digital mammography came to market, the entire system-from the detector to the acquisition workstation and display

The FDA has issued an approvable letter for Siemens Mammomat NovationDR, a full-field digital mammography system. The agency found that the device is approvable, pending successful FDA inspection of Siemens' manufacturing facility in Erlangen, Germany,

Storage and database firm i3Archive has adopted third-generation standards for grid computing that will help the company integrate its National Digital Mammography Archive (NDMA) with other databases. The standards, which include Open Grid Services

Population-based breast screening programs face an uphill battle in remote communities. Patients, technologists, prior exam results, new images, and qualified reporters must all meet at the right place at the right time. Organizers of a Dutch mammography

Digital mammography provides a springboard from which new imaging techniques are developed to address current limitations in the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer."The presence of the increased quantitative quality of the data acquired in these

The FDA has approved a version of R2 Technology's ImageChecker CAD technology customized for use on Hologic's Selenia full-field digital mammography system. The approval finalizes the commitment by the two companies to merge their technologies under the

Systems offer screening, diagnosis, interventionWorkload and budgetary pressures are common in breast imaging. Little wonder mammography vendors emphasize the efficiency gains and ergonomic benefits of their digital systems.Both GE

Digital mammography unit shoots for year's end Eastman Kodak's Health Imaging Group is walking a tightrope: It needs to respond to an increasingly digital marketplace while still satisfying customers wedded to film. Its high-wire

Digital mammography's replacement of screen-film has become inevitable now that head-to-head comparisons of the systems are showing little difference in performance. The sticking point now lies with the radiologists reading soft-copy mammograms, not with

Popularity of PET, digital mammography boosts product salesGood news for the quarter past and a promising outlook for CTI Molecular Imaging and Hologic gave the industry reassurance that two bellwethers of technological