CAD advances boost mammography workflow

R2 Technology is making machines smarter and, in the process, easing the transition to digital mammography.

The CAD developer's Citra Mammography Applications Suite, launched at the 2005 RSNA meeting, includes software tools that automatically scale mammograms to the display window, sizing the previous mammogram with the current image, regardless of the system used to capture the images or the amount of compression placed on the breasts.

In a separate development, the company enhanced its ImageChecker mammography CAD technology. One new feature, built into Version 8.1, identifies regions of breast tissue that contain both a mass and calcifications. Another assigns variable-sized CAD marks to indicate the potential for malignancy.

This latest version also allows users to set the sensitivity of the machine to flag more or fewer anomalies. Separate controls are available for microcalcifications and for masses.

The introductions reflect a corporate strategy to promote the use of CAD as a way to make radiologists' lives easier. This strategy, and how it will affect R2 products in the future, will be featured in the next issue of DI SCAN, available online Dec. 19.