TDMS application no longer under review by agencyTrex Medical’s commitment to digital mammography in the U.S. has been tested yet again. This month the Danbury, CT, company received more bad news about its Trex Digital Mammography System
TDMS application no longer under review by agency
Trex Medicals commitment to digital mammography in the U.S. has been tested yet again. This month the Danbury, CT, company received more bad news about its Trex Digital Mammography System (TDMS) with word that the Food and Drug Administration has found TDMS not equivalent to analog mammography systems. The FDAs letter is the latest occurrence in a frustrating saga for Trex, which began its efforts to obtain 510(k) approval for the system almost two years ago (SCAN Special Report 12/97).
Trex has been selling TDMS in Europe since last October, when it received the CE Mark (SCAN 10/14/98). But attempts to bring the unit to market in the U.S. have thus far been unsuccessful. Shortly after last years RSNA meeting, the FDA notified Trex that its system could not be approved. The agency outlined additional data analysis required for clearance, which the company subsequently submitted. In its Aug. 6 notification, however, the FDA informed Trex that the digital system is not substantially equivalent to screen-film mammography systems. As a result, the vendors 510(k) application is no longer under consideration by the agency.
In its letter to Trex, the FDA said that it has been developing alternatives to expedite digital mammographys introduction into the market. The agency invited the company to meet to discuss these alternatives, as well as how best to use the data Trex has already collected. Trex representatives will meet with the FDA later this month to determine how to move forward, according to Bill Webb, president and CEO. Trex expects that the FDA will suggest design changes and request additional clinical data. Trex remains committed to digital mammography, however, and will continue to work closely with the FDA, Webb said.
Despite much anticipation, digital mammography has proven difficult to bring to the U.S. market. Industry confusion over FDAguidelines could be a factor: The FDA last year changed course in its protocols for digital systems, following criticism that the framework the agency uses to evaluate the efficacy of digital mammography is flawed.
At an August 1998 meeting between mammography experts and the FDAs Radiological Device Panel, the agency requested feedback on its 1996 guidance, which require vendors to prove the equivalency of full-field digital images to film within a 90% to 95% correlation range (SCAN 9/16/98). Critics labeled this range unrealistic, citing the human variability between readings of the same film, and claimed that it is essentially impossible for vendors to comply with the guidance.
This policy may soon change, however. The FDA hopes to publish a new guidance for digital mammography next month, according to Bob Doyle, executive secretary of the Radiological Devices Panel and scientific reviewer in the FDAs Center For Devices and Radiological Healths Office of Device Evaluation. In the meantime, other vendors developing digital mammography systems, such as Fischer Imaging and GE Medical Systems, have continued to prepare data for their 510(k) applications.
Denver-based Fischer has completed clinical trials for its unit, SenoScan, and awaits the FDAs new guidelines, according to Morgan Nields, president and CEO. SenoScan employs flat-panel technology provided by Hologics Direct Radiography Corp., with Fischers own slot scanning technology.
GEs flat-panel-based Senographe 2000D is still under clinical investigation for the U.S. market, although in March the company received the CE Mark and began selling the system in Europe (SCAN 3/17/99). Trexs latest setback doesnt affect GEs 510(k) application plans for its unit, according to the Milwaukee-based vendor, although the company declined to comment on when it expected to file with the FDA.
Were working closely with the FDA to ensure we understand their needs, said Amy Holberg, marketing manager for breast imaging. Trexs position doesnt affect our strategy, or alter (our application plans) in any way.
The FDA letter wasnt the only discouraging recent event for Trex. The vendor also posted disappointing results for its third quarter 1999 (end-July). Revenues decreased 12.5% during the quarter, coming in at $63.1 million compared with $72.1 million in third quarter 1998. The company sustained a net loss of $14.3 million, compared to net income of $5.6 million for the same period last year. Restructuring costs of $18.1 million were also taken in this quarter. Although Trexs mammography system sales increased by 24% over the same period in the previous year, its breast-biopsy system sales decreased. The company expects to see benefits from its restructuring efforts during the next fiscal year, Webb said.
Radiology Experience, Breast Density and Screening Mammography: What New Research Reveals
October 4th 2024In a study looking at the impact of experience and case volume of breast screening radiologists, researchers found that reviewing more than 150 cases per week was necessary to achieve an 80 percent rate of true-positive assessments for malignant calcifications.
Comparing Digital Breast Tomosynthesis to Digital Mammography: What a Long-Term Study Reveals
September 17th 2024In a study involving over 272,000 breast cancer screening exams, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) had a higher breast cancer detection rate and a lower rate of advanced cancer presentation at the time of diagnosis in comparison to digital mammography.