Whole Breast Ultrasound Shown to Be Effective for Breast Screening in China

In a direct comparison between a physician performing breast scans via traditional two-dimensional (2D) frozen frame imaging and automated whole breast ultrasound, the whole breast method found more pathology.

The Medipattern Corp. (Toronto, Canada), a developer of computer-aided detection (CAD) medical imaging software designed to aid physicians in making better informed biopsy decisions, reported that partner SonoCine, Inc. (Pasadena, CA, USA) effectively demonstrated automated whole breast ultrasound in breast screening applications in China. Medipattern writes the software that powers the SonoCine viewer, constructing 3D images of the breast and supplies its B-CAD computer-aided detection system to the SonoCine, product line.

"The traditional method of free-hand scanning a patient allows for some variance in coverage as the physician scans. SonoCine takes the guesswork out of scanning by automating the process and completely mapping each breast. A missed area of 5 mm in scanning by hand can result in missing a 5-mm cancer,” stated Dr. Kevin Kelly, president and founder of SonoCine. "Through Medipattern's software, we were able to identify correctly a rare case of male breast cancer which had previously been dismissed twice as benign.”

"Breast cancer is one of the fastest rising threats to the people of China. We are convinced that the only way to combat breast cancer is through early detection. But we have been hampered by the very dense breast type common in the Chinese population. We know that ultrasound as a technology is capable of penetrating this dense tissue, but ultrasound is also known to be subject to operator variance,” commented Dr. Xiaowei Tang, director of ultrasound at the People's Liberation Army (PLA) 301 Hospital in Beijing, China, China's largest hospital and research center. "The SonoCine technique packaged with the Medipattern whole breast viewing software and Medipattern's B-CAD computer-aided detection provides a very compelling answer to the concerns raised by screening with breast ultrasound. B-CAD has been shown to increase the diagnostic accuracy of a single reader. SonoCine powered by Medipattern has been shown to fully capture all of the information required to make a decision. This is a very economically feasible answer to providing early detection for the population of China.”

"Dr. Kelly is an experienced breast imaging radiologist who was concerned that ultrasound had been bypassed as a solution for screening dense breast tissue. He invented the procedure and created a company to tackle the problem. Ultrasound is cost effective, does not introduce the patient to radiation, and ultrasound provides great imaging especially in dense tissue,” commented Jeff Collins, president and founder of the Medipattern Corp.”

B-CAD has been submitted the China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) in China and Jeff Collins, president and founder of the Medipattern Corp., expects sales of B-CAD to commence once final approval from China's SFDA is obtained.

"Dr. Kelly is an experienced breast imaging radiologist who was concerned that ultrasound had been bypassed as a solution for screening dense breast tissue. He invented the procedure and created a company to tackle the problem. Ultrasound is cost effective, does not introduce the patient to radiation, and ultrasound provides great imaging especially in dense tissue,” commented Mr. Collins.

Early study data suggest that SonoCine may considerably enhance the physician's ability to diagnose disease and study tissues whose images have been generated by state-of-the-art medical scanners.


Related Links:
Medipattern
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