Capital Health installs GE Discovery NM 750b scanner at N.J. Hopewell medical center

Capital Health and GE Healthcare announced today the first Discovery NM 750b was installed at Capital Health's New Jersey Hopewell medical center. Capital Health is a central New Jersey region leader in advanced medicine, with significant investments in advanced technologies and its medical staff.

"We are very pleased to offer women in our community this new, highly sophisticated, test that can help detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, which, as we all know, can be critical to the success of treatment," said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. "We remain committed to bringing patients in this region the latest technological advances to enhance their healthcare options."

"This innovative technology overcomes some of the challenges we currently face with breast cancer detection, particularly in women with dense breast tissue, and allows us to offer our patients improved medical care," said Dr. Yaakov Applbaum, medical director of the Radiology Department at Capital Health. "It will also be useful in the early detection of breast cancer in women who are at a high risk for the disease."

Breast cancer detection is sometimes difficult, as breast density in varying degrees can overlap with lesions, making them harder to find with traditional x-ray mammography; and interpretation can vary among physicians, which can often lead to recommendations for additional tests.

Molecular Breast Imaging, or MBI, is less susceptible to breast density, since the method involves a radioactive tracer that has a high affinity for metabolically active tumors, and two specialized detectors imaging the breast from opposing angles. MBI has been shown in clinical studies to outperform mammography for early detection, and in finding more cancers.

The GE Discovery NM 750b scanner features dual detectors with CZT technology. The system's innovative detector design facilitates increased imaging sensitivity compared to conventional Nuclear Medicine "Gamma" cameras. In addition, image contrast and quality represent significant improvements over conventional systems. Imaging of the breast can be performed with only light immobilization and without the need of full compression. The Discovery NM 750b is intended to become part of a comprehensive arsenal of advanced imaging technologies that includes PET (Positron Emission Tomography), Spiral CT and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

"We believe that offering MBI with its ability to detect certain cases of breast cancer earlier will make Capital Health the premier destination in the area for breast cancer diagnosis," said Applbaum. "Molecular imaging is being added to the already comprehensively equipped Woman's Imaging Center at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell, which includes two GE digital mammography units, two GE LOGIQ* E9 Ultrasound machines, and a 3Tesla Magnet for Breast MRI."