“Without OnGuard [software], experienced radiologists found 60% of the lung cancers and radiology residents found 40%, which is much higher than it would have been clinically because the radiologists were looking very specifically for subtle cancer,” said Heber MacMahon, M.B., professor of radiology and director of thoracic imaging at the University of Chicago Medical Center (IL, USA) . “By comparison, OnGuard accurately marked 75% of the cancers.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, claiming more lives than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined, according to the American Cancer Society. Early detection greatly improves the chances of survival but most cancers are found in late stages, on images captured for other medical reasons. X-ray is the most common imaging test.

“This software is a ready-made, easy-to-adopt solution to instantly improve chest X-rays in the detection of lung disease on images that already are being captured,” said Steve Worrell, chief technology officer for Riverain Technologies (Miamisburg, OH, USA).

“You don’t want to miss a cancer, and this system offers a much clearer view,” Dr. MacMahon said. “I envision this technology being run on all chest X-rays, certainly for all adults ages 35 and up.”

OnGuard’s built-in bone suppression technology helps radiologists detect commonly missed cancers in the upper chest, according to Dr. MacMahon. “The majority of cancers missed on chest X-ray are in the upper lobes and can be obscured by clavicles and ribs--cancer likes to live there,” he said. “The best examples of cancers being found by bone suppression are in the upper lobes.”

The company’s SoftView product also gives radiologists the option of a bone-suppressed X-ray image with no CAD markings.

Related Links:
University of Chicago Medical Center
Riverain Technologies