Detection Aided By New Technology.(computer-aided detection for breast cancer diagnosis)

2002 FEB 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Magee-Women's Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health System, Pennsylvania, has announced the availability of a promising new technology called computer-aided detection, or CAD, that offers an added benefit to mammography in the detection of early breast cancer.

Similar to a spelling checker, CAD analyzes films from screening mammography to identify areas that contain the slightest abnormal or suspicious features and marks them for a radiologist to review. Magee is the first facility in western Pennsylvania to introduce this innovative technology to its breast imaging services.

"CAD has great potential because it gives radiologists a second pair of highly trained eyes. It provides us with additional information about images that have characteristics generally accepted to be associated with breast cancer," said Jules Sumkin, DO, professor of radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and chief of radiology, Magee-Women's Hospital. "With CAD, every woman who receives a screening mammogram at a Magee facility will now benefit from the second look.

"While the majority of breast cancers will be detected by mammography, some may be missed due to differences in the appearance of breast tissue, breast cancer features and tumor growth rates," added Sumkin. "CAD can help by identifying areas that may not have been initially spotted by the radiologist, which could potentially lead to the earlier detection of a cancer."

Using a software program specifically designed to identify clusters of bright spots that are suggestive of ...