Raytheon to license digital mammo technology to Fujifilm

Research and development organization Raytheon BBN Technologies has licensed its stereo digital mammography (SDM) technology to Fujifilm Medical Systems.

The Stamford, Conn.-based Fujifilm said it intends to interface the SDM technology with its Aspire HD FFDM system. According to the Cambridge, Mass.-based company, Raytheon said its SDM technology allows a radiologist to see the entire breast, providing a 3D view of the internal structure.

In a 2007 clinical trial at Emory University's Breast Imaging Center in Atlanta, Raytheon said its SDM technology showed improvements in both early detection of suspicious lesions and reductions in false-positive readings compared to standard 2D mammography. The trial results demonstrated that the SDM technology improves detection of suspicious lesions by more than 20 percent while reducing unnecessary patient recall by almost half, according to the company.

The Aspire HD requires FDA approval and is not yet available for sale in the U.S.

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