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.

Mammograms bungled: Rush to fix the problem

Nearly 5,300 mammograms will need a review because of a computer error at Breast Screen Victoria. In a serious error a radiologist noticed a mismatch between the names of patients and their images. This may mean that some women may not have had their mammograms checked twice by two different radiologists as is the usual protocol.

17 Nov 2010

Risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from mammographic screening slight in comparison to benefits

The risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from mammography screening is slight in comparison to the benefit of expected lives saved, according to a new study appearing online and in the January issue of the journal Radiology.

17 Nov 2010

New AccuDetect software reduces false-positive rates during mammography screening

Parascript, LLC, the image analysis and pattern recognition technology provider, today announced the release of AccuDetect 4.0, the next generation of its computer-aided detection (CAD) software with significant performance improvements and a greater potential for lowering false-positive rates when detecting suspicious lesions on mammograms, compared to the previous version of the product.

15 Nov 2010

New study finds PEM reduces unnecessary breast biopsies

The Radiology journal released new data from an NIH-sponsored, multi-site study of hundreds of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that shows Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) may reduce unnecessary breast biopsies. The study found that PEM was significantly more precise at identifying benign and cancerous lesions, in what scientists call "Positive Predictive Value" or "PPV," therefore reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies.

15 Nov 2010

33rd CTRC-AACR Symposium to feature breast cancer research

The 33rd CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium will feature the latest findings in prevention, epidemiological, laboratory, translational and clinical breast cancer research. This year's symposium will highlight new therapies in the pipeline, new approaches with existing agents and emerging biology that will affect the quest for personalized medicine.

12 Nov 2010

RadNet third quarter revenue increases 5.0% to record $140.1 million

RadNet, Inc., a national leader in providing high-quality, cost-effective, fixed-site outpatient diagnostic imaging services through a network of 192 fully-owned and operated outpatient imaging centers, today reported financial results, including record revenues, for its third quarter of 2010.

9 Nov 2010

Combination of optical and x-ray imaging may improve diagnostic accuracy of breast screening

By combining optical and x-ray imaging, radiologists may be better able to distinguish cancer from benign lesions in the breast, according to a new study published in the online edition and January issue of Radiology.

9 Nov 2010

Parascript receives $244,479.25 federal grant under Affordable Care Act

Parascript, LLC, the image analysis and pattern recognition technology provider, today announced that it was awarded a cash grant of $244,479.25 under the U.S. Government's Affordable Care Act. Under this act, the therapeutic discovery project program targets projects that show significant potential to produce new therapies, address unmet medical needs, reduce the long-term growth of health care costs or advance the goal of curing cancer within the next 30 years.

8 Nov 2010

FDA announces reclassification for Full Field Digital Mammography Systems

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it is easing the pathway to market for mammography systems that produce computerized X-ray images of the entire breast.

8 Nov 2010

FDA issues approval letter to Carestream's CR system for mammography

Carestream Health has received an approval letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its high-resolution computed radiography (CR) system for mammography.

7 Nov 2010

Study finds breast MRI equipment in U.S. meets ACRIN and EUSOBI standards

An overwhelming majority of Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) facilities performing breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the U.S. are up-to-par with American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) and European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) technical standards and requirements, according to a study in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

1 Nov 2010

Government institutions need to find alternate funding sources for colorectal cancer screening

Offering colorectal cancer screening to poor minority women during mammography visits can effectively expand screening in this otherwise underserved population, although lack of medical insurance remains a significant barrier. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The results highlight the need to find alternative funding sources for colorectal cancer screening from the government or private institutions.

28 Oct 2010

New portable scanner for breast cancer diagnosis

Professor Zhipeng Wu has invented a portable scanner based on radio frequency technology, which is able to show in a second the presence of tumours malignant and benign in the breast on a computer.

From The University of Manchester 27 Oct 2010

Experts identify efficient way to increase minority access to colorectal cancer screening

Minority patients have a significantly decreased survival from colon cancer compared to white patients, most often as a result of a late diagnosis. To help address this problem, a team of healthcare professionals at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has identified an efficient way to increase minority access to lifesaving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) in communities where multiple barriers to preventive care exist.

25 Oct 2010

Primary care-based patient navigation can reduce healthcare disparities

A new research study conducted by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that patient navigation services significantly improve biennial mammography screening rates among inner city women. The results, published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, indicate the importance of patient navigation in reducing health disparities in vulnerable patient populations.

22 Oct 2010

Deductible-free screening encourages use of preventive care services

When they do not have to pay a health insurance deductible, people are more likely to undergo screening for conditions like cancer and high cholesterol. However, the increase is modest, and in high-deductible plans, it is quite small, according to a new study in the journal Health Services Research.

18 Oct 2010

NASA software could help interpret medical imagery

NASA software used to enhance Earth science imagery could help interpret medical imagery. The new MED-SEG system, developed by Bartron Medical Imaging Inc. of Largo, Md., relies on an innovative software program developed at NASA to help doctors analyze mammograms, ultrasounds, digital X-rays and other medical imaging tests.

15 Oct 2010

MedSolutions, Corporate Research Group announce initial results from diagnostic accuracy program

MedSolutions and Corporate Research Group today announced initial results from a groundbreaking diagnostic accuracy program, which showed shortened hospital stays, reduced emergency room visits and lower overall medical costs among participants.

15 Oct 2010

Patients with advanced cancer undergo common non-beneficial cancer screening tests

A sizeable proportion of patients with advanced cancer and a life expectancy of only a few years continue to undergo common cancer screening tests that are unlikely to provide meaningful benefit, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Oct 2010

Cancer patients getting unnecessary tests: Study

US researchers revealed that many cancer patients with only a few years to live often continue to get routine mammograms or blood tests for prostate cancer even though they are not likely to live long enough to benefit from them. This not only wastes money but also exposes patients to unnecessary worry and distress.

12 Oct 2010