Mammography News and Research

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A mammogram is a safe test used to look for any problems with a woman's breasts. The test uses a special, low-dose x-ray machine to take pictures of both breasts. The results are recorded on x-ray film or directly onto a computer for a radiologist to examine.

Mammograms allow the doctor to have a closer look for breast lumps and changes in breast tissue. They can show small lumps or growths that a doctor or woman may not be able to feel when doing a clinical breast exam. "Mammography" is the best screening tool that doctors have for finding breast cancer.

If a lump is found, your doctor may order other tests, such as ultrasound or a biopsy--a test where a small amount of tissue is taken from the lump and area around the lump. The tissue is sent to a lab to look for cancer or changes that may mean cancer is likely to develop. Breast lumps or growths can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Finding breast cancer early means that a woman has a better chance of surviving the disease. There are also more choices for treatment when breast cancer is found early.

Research roundup: Number of nurses linked to NICU infections; Comparing Medicare budget plans

Neonatal intensive care units – which provide care for infants who are critically ill – are costly and require a significant amount of nursing services.

25 Mar 2013

Study finds that some younger women see both benefit and harm from annual exams

Screening for breast cancer every two years appears just as beneficial as yearly mammograms for women ages 50 to 74, with significantly fewer "false positives" - even for women whose breasts are dense or who use hormone therapy for menopause.

20 Mar 2013

Study assesses effectiveness of modern mammography screening in breast cancer

Kerlikowske et al., recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used obsolete clinical endpoints to assess effectiveness of modern mammography screening and is fundamentally flawed regarding participant selection in the two study groups (annually vs. biennially).

19 Mar 2013

Regardless of breast density or HT use, women aged 50 to 74 years can undergo biennial mammography

A study that compared the benefits and harms of the frequency of screening mammography to age, breast density and postmenopausal use of hormone therapy (HT) suggests that woman ages 50 to 74 years who undergo biennial screenings have a similar risk of advanced-stage disease and a lower cumulative risk of false-positive results than those who get mammograms annually, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

19 Mar 2013

Researchers explore genetic testing to identify people at high risk for preventable disease

In ten years time, routine preventive health care for adults may include genetic testing alongside the now familiar tests for cholesterol levels, mammography and colonoscopy.

8 Mar 2013

Health insurance and poverty the important predictors of late stage breast cancer

Home may be where the heart is, but where you live could affect your health. "Regardless of geographic location, women who live in high poverty areas or are uninsured are at greatest risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage," said lead author Kevin Henry, Department of Geography, University of Utah.

7 Mar 2013

American College of Radiology supports Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act

The American College of Radiology supports the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act, recently introduced by Reps. Pete Olson (R-TX), Peter Roskam (R-IL), John Barrow (D-GA), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and 38 House cosponsors.

2 Mar 2013

FDA clears Philips’ MicroDose SI mammography system

Royal Philips Electronics today announces 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its MicroDose SI system, the first full-field digital mammography (FFDM) system on the market with the capability to enable future Single-Shot Spectral Imaging applications.

From Philips Healthcare 28 Feb 2013

Two discriminating biological markers found to predict a favorable response to treatment in triple-negative breast cancer

Quinten, a strategic and operational consulting company specializing in the evaluation of biomedical data in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and cosmetic industries, today announces the identification of two discriminating biological marker candidates which are indicative of a favorable response to treatment in women suffering from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

26 Feb 2013

Wiley launches Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., today announced the launch of Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences (JMRS), combining The Radiographer (now in its 60th volume) from the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) and Shadows (in its 56th Volume) from the New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology (NZIMRT).

24 Feb 2013

Breast cancer tests: an interview with Dr Steven Quay, CEO of Atossa Genetics

Breast cancer is a major concern throughout the world. It is the number 1 cancer among women and in the Western world it generates approximately one new case per minute: 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

22 Feb 2013

iCAD fourth quarter total revenue increases 18% to $7.8 million

iCAD, Inc., an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today reported financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2012.

19 Feb 2013

High calcium intake raises all cause, CVD mortality risk for women

Latest research examining the potential hazards of a high calcium intake finds an increased mortality risk among women with a high intake through diet and supplements.

19 Feb 2013

Meridian Health, Bayshore Community Hospital announce $5 million charitable contribution

Bayshore Community Hospital and Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations today announced a $5 million charitable contribution from Mrs. Janice Mitchell Vassar, whose sole desire, in her words, is to "make my hospital the best hospital it can be."

16 Feb 2013

Research roundup: 'Shared decision making' can reduce costs, improve care; Effects of mental health parity

With shared decision making, patients and their clinicians collaboratively review the risks and benefits of available treatments options while also considering the patients' preferences and values.

10 Feb 2013

Planmed Verity Extremity Scanner receives FDA clearance

Planmed Verity is designed to find subtle extremity fractures during the first visit to the clinic – the types of fractures that have most commonly been missed when only using 2D radiographs.

From Planmed Oy 9 Feb 2013

No difference in rates of late-stage breast cancer between women screened annually and biennially

Among older women, getting a mammogram every two years was just as beneficial as getting a mammogram annually, and led to significantly fewer false positive results, according to a study led by UC San Francisco.

6 Feb 2013

New method for detecting cancer by measuring elasticity of tumours

As the first countries in the world, Norway and France will be testing a completely new method for detecting cancer. This is done by measuring the elasticity of tumours. The method is called elastography. You may as well learn this new word right away; in a few years, elastography may be as common as X-rays.

4 Feb 2013

Karmanos Cancer Institute’s SoftVue system under FDA review for market clearance

SoftVue, the whole breast ultrasound imaging device created by two scientists from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine, is currently undergoing review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for market clearance.

29 Jan 2013

Study details exactly how Her2 gene promotes progression and spread of breast cancer cells

Research led by Dr. Suresh Alahari, the Fred Brazda Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans and its Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, details exactly how the Her2 cancer gene promotes the progression and spread of breast cancer cells.

23 Jan 2013