Fountain Valley, CA - Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center recently announced that the MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast is the first cancer center in Orange County to offer its patients access to the latest advancement in breast cancer detection - 3-D automated whole breast ultrasound.

Developed by Grapevine, TX-based iVu Imaging Corporation, the FDA-approved SOFIA™ system enables radiologists to receive a 360-degree, 3-D view of the entire breast. When used in addition to mammography, the automated whole breast ultrasound helps make earlier cancer detection possible for women with dense breasts or implants, and women with certain identified risk factors. Patients are scanned in the prone (chest down) position which allows women to "self position" their breasts resulting in a more comfortable and private procedure. The procedure takes less than 20 minutes.

"Breast density is a real concern for radiologists because the dense tissue may obscure the identification of early cancers on mammography and tumors can "hide" in this type of tissue," said Richard Reitherman, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of breast imaging at MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast. "The 3-D automated whole breast ultrasound significantly increases our view of the entire breast and enables us to more effectively detect and treat cancer in its earliest stage without additional radiation." The current Dense Breast Notification Laws that were passed in California, Connecticut, New York, Texas and Virginia require that patients who have dense breast tissue and undergoing mammography are notified that complementary imaging techniques such as whole breast ultrasound and MRI can increase screening cancer detection rates.


According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women today. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. In 2012, an estimated 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women.

"We continue to make significant strides in the development of advanced technologies for early detection. However, in order to give themselves the best possible chance of beating this deadly disease, women must remain vigilant by conducting routine self-exams, receiving physician exams, and undergoing annual mammograms beginning at the age of 40," added Dr. Reitherman.

For more information about the 3D automated whole breast ultrasound program, please visit Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/OrangeCoastMemorial and watch the video, "Whole Breast Ultrasound Technology at Orange Coast." To schedule an appointment at The MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast, please call 714-378-7955.

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