Breast Imaging Equipment Vendors Show Their Wares

More than 700 commercial companies showed off their state-of-the-art equipment at RSNA and breast imaging was a dominant application. (Nine companies showed breast biopsy tables alone.) The following is a synopsis of selected relevant exhibitors.
Confirma
Confirma announced that a study by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the University of Washington presented at RSNA suggests that the CADstream system's patented "worst curve" algorithm for analyzing kinetics may assist in determining malignancy. The study, led by Dr. Lilian Wang, focused on the evaluation of kinetics and found that the most suspicious curve as identified by CADstream was significantly different between benign and malignant lesions. This supports the recommendation of the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System (BI-RADS®) Atlas for breast MRI to report the "worst looking" curve. The study found that any washout enhancement was associated with malignancy in nearly half of lesions. Dr. Wang's study is "MRI Detected Suspicious Breast Findings: Comparison of Kinetic Features Measured by Computer-aided Evaluation in Benign and Malignant Lesions."

Confirma develops and markets application-specific CAD systems and accessories for magnetic resonance imaging studies (MRI). CADstream is the standard in CAD for MRI, with more than 800 installations and 2,500 users worldwide. The CADstream system automates analysis, reporting and interventional planning of studies and promotes standardization with the incorporation of BI-RADS, which guides the breast cancer diagnostic routine and decision-making process.

AIT
Advanced Imaging Technologies, (AIT) Richland, WA featured the ARIA Breast Imaging System which combines mammography and conventional ultrasound for detecting solid masses. The approach provides the ability to image dense breast tissue effectively, regardless of age or ethnicity, with results that correlate well to actual pathology. Superior needle definition provides greater accuracy for image-guided biopsy. The system also features 3D rendering and lesion segmentation with contrast attenuation comparison, retrieval of prior comparative studies for quick cross correlation with known landmarks for yearly comparison, and seamless integration into the patient workflow.

Hologic
Hologic, Bedford, MA had its Selenia Suite on display. The Selenia is used for digital mammography with direct capture technology that delivers clear, detailed images to support radiologists in the early detection of breast cancer. The SecurView workstations allow radiologists to review and interpret images with total interactive ease. Images and annotations flow freely between the technologist and radiologist, improving workflow and patient throughput. R2 DigitalNow™ allows mammography departments to digitize prior studies and archive to PACS for use in a soft-copy viewing environment. MammoPad, a soft warm breast cushion used during a mammogram, relaxes the patient allowing for optimal positioning without compromising the high level of image quality.

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