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.

First Edition: December 21, 2009

From today's headlines, the biggest overnight news is the Senate's vote to move its sweeping health reform bill one step closer to the finish line.

21 Dec 2009

Prostate cancer tests promised but not delivered

Men's Health Network calls on Congress to ensure that healthcare reform does not override the prostate cancer testing benefit currently required of insurance companies in 37 states.

16 Dec 2009

Gamma Medica-Ideas signs exclusive license and commercialization agreement with Mayo Clinic

Gamma Medica-Ideas, Inc. ("GMI"), a leading developer of digital molecular imaging systems, announced today that it has signed an exclusive license and commercialization agreement with Mayo Clinic to further develop and commercialize a suite of technologies invented by a team of Mayo physicians and scientists, headed by Michael O'Connor, PhD.

15 Dec 2009

Medipattern and OMIC team up to provide breast ultrasound imaging service

The Medipattern Corporation ("Medipattern"), a pioneer in the development of medical software solutions that help improve imaging workflow and productivity, has announced that it has partnered with Ocean Medical Imaging Center (OMIC), developed through a partnership with Lake Forest, Calif.-based InSight Health Services Holdings Corp. ("Insight Imaging") (OTCBB:ISGT), to provide the service of B-CAD® computer aided detection of breast ultrasound imaging under the B-CAD-FOR-LIFETM program.

14 Dec 2009

Additional therapy and screening may be needed for patients with mucinous breast cancer

In a large review of breast cancer patients with mucinous carcinoma, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have identified an association between this rare type of breast cancer long-associated with a favorable prognosis and multiple tumors undetected by mammography or ultrasound.

14 Dec 2009

California's EWC program: Cuts alarm breast cancer survivors and advocates

Breast cancer survivors and advocates from all seven California Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® signaled their alarm today at the recently announced cuts to California's Every Woman Counts program, which would effectively shut the doors to breast cancer screening services for 1.2 million low-income and uninsured women for the first six months of 2010.

11 Dec 2009

Combination of MRI and mammography screenings detects early-stage breast cancer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coupled with mammography detects almost all cancers at an early stage, thereby reducing the incidence of advanced stage breast cancer in high-risk women.

11 Dec 2009

Women with high BMI are at increased risk of dying from breast cancer

Breast cancer patients with a high body mass index (BMI) have a poorer cancer prognosis later in life. Specifically, their treatment effect does not last as long and their risk of death increases.

11 Dec 2009

Despite rising costs of U.S. health care, quality lags in ambulatory care

Most primary care physicians active in the Medicare program work in practices with too few patients to reliably measure significant differences in common measures of quality and cost performance, according to a study in the December 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Dec 2009

Young women undergoing breast cancer screening may be exposed to unnecessary harm

Breast cancer screening guidelines generally recommend mammography begin at age 40. However, based on prior national research, an estimated 34 percent of non-Hispanic black women, 30 percent of non-Hispanic white women and 22 percent of Hispanic women aged 30 to 39 have reported having a mammogram.

8 Dec 2009

New PenLink connectivity package installed at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology

The Medipattern Corporation, a pioneer in the development of medical software solutions that help improve imaging workflow and productivity, and PenRad Technologies, Inc., a leader in the development of mammography information systems (MIS) are pleased to announce the first installation of the new PenLink connectivity package at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, Long Island's largest private medical imaging practice.

7 Dec 2009

FDA approves new technology tool for breast cancer screening

The FDA has approved new technology that now allows radiologists to detect breast cancer sooner and faster. The SonoCine Automated Whole-breast Ultrasound Method and is being offered by only one facility in Arizona - Arizona Breastnet, in Scottsdale.

6 Dec 2009

World records and fight against breast cancer fundraiser

Make room, pumpkins, there's a new attempt afoot to set some Guinness World Records and once again add Nova Scotia to the coveted list. Bust a Move for Breast Health, a fundraising fitness extravaganza set for January 30, 2010, at the Halifax Metro Centre, is going to attempt a pair of GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(R) records: the largest Pilates class and the most people hugging.

5 Dec 2009

Thermography, an ideal screening tool for breast cancer

Thermographic Diagnostic Imaging (TDI), part of a Health & Wellness Center in Marlton, New Jersey continues to provide superior quality infrared imaging of the breast, neuromuscular system, thyroid, dental, TMJ and sinus regions to assist in the early diagnosis of problems associated with these areas.

4 Dec 2009

Controversy over recent breast cancer screening guidelines discussed

The controversy over recent breast cancer screening guidelines offers an opportunity to engage individual patients in an informed discussion of the importance of evidence-based clinical efficacy assessments in contributing to better care decisions, Donna Sweet, MD, MACP today told the Subcommittee on Health of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Dr. Sweet testified at a hearing, Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations, on behalf of the American College of Physicians (ACP).

4 Dec 2009

FUJIFILM to interface Raytheon BBN Technologies' SDM technology with its Aspire HD FFDM system

Raytheon BBN Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company, has licensed its patented, award-winning stereo digital mammography (SDM) technology to FUJIFILM Corp.

4 Dec 2009

Jupiter Medical Center deploys GE Healthcare's Signa HDx 1.5T MRI system

Jupiter Medical Center has incorporated one of the most advanced diagnostic tools available into its imaging program, the new Signa HDx 1.5T MRI system from GE Healthcare. The system delivers highly detailed images of the human body with increased speed, better resolution and unique applications, including dual breast scanning and non-contrast vascular imaging for patients with renal dysfunction.

3 Dec 2009

GammaL c device provides accurate lesion localization and facilitates needle-guided biopsy

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is a molecular breast imaging technique increasingly being used in the diagnostic workup of patients with indeterminate mammograms and has demonstrated the ability to detect cancers missed by mammography and ultrasound.

2 Dec 2009

RSNA: Dec. 2, 2009 briefing and presentations

A special press briefing will be held Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 10:45 a.m. CT (11:45 a.m. ET), featuring a panel of top experts who will discuss the recent U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) release of revised screening mammography guidelines. Many patients, breast cancer survivors, medical experts and government authorities dispute the guidelines as being without scientific evidence.

2 Dec 2009

Occult lesions identified with BSGI can be localized using multi-modality imaging for needle biopsy

Dr. Jocelyn Rapelyea, Associate Director of Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., demonstrated how occult lesions identified with Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) can be localized utilizing multi-modality imaging for needle biopsy as well, as for pre-operative localization today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

2 Dec 2009