Aix-en-Provence, France: With its unique ShearWave™ Elastography, Aixplorer exploits two types of waves; one ultrasound wave to ensure impeccable image quality in B-mode, and one shear wave to measure and display true local tissue elasticity in kilopascals. Using a unique software-based architecture, Aixplorer is able to generate a shear wave, capture it and measure its speed resulting in the assessment of true tissue elasticity values in kilopascals. A colour-coded map displays these results in real time; stiff lesions appear in red with high kilopascal values, while soft lesions appear in blue with low values.

Quantitative, reproducible and user independent, ShearWave Elastography meets the physician's diagnostic needs for all his/her clinical applications: breast, thyroid, abdomen, gynaecology, prostate, musculoskeletal.

Breast and 3D Breast:

The first application of the Aixplorer, the breast package, has been available since the launch of Aixplorer in Europe, October 2008.

A worldwide breast trial on ShearWave Elastography demonstrates that images obtained with ShearWave Elastography are qualitatively and quantitatively reproducible. The study also demonstrates that the combination of a ShearWave Elastography feature to B-mode imaging increases diagnostic accuracy and improves lesion classification1. (Cf. press release April 23rd, 2010)

Breast cancer is one of the three most common cancers among women and is the second leading cause of death. Today, it is essential to obtain additional information on breast lesions to improve diagnosis.

ShearWave Elastography can assist in an early diagnosis in breast lesions and is capable of characterising non-palpable, very small lesions, as well as deep lesions and lesions in dense breasts.

ECR 2011- Clinical benefits evaluation of ShearWave Elastography in ultrasound examination of breast lesions. C. Balu-Maestro (Poster C-0884)

Breast images: http://www.supersonicimagine.fr/case-studies_15_breast-ductal-carcinoma,en.htm#15

3D Breast Imaging:
Aixplorer's impeccable 3D image quality gives physicians the ability to visualise suspicious tissue in any plane of the 3D volume.

An industry first- ShearWave Elastography offers physicians a 3D color-coded elasticity map of tissue stiffness in kilopascals. This map provides unprecedented clinical information of the elasticity distribution inside and around breast lesions. 3D ShearWave Elastography improves lesion characterisation and is also a phenomenal clinical tool for lesion follow-up under treatment and surgical planning.

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