Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems improved inexperienced readers’ analyses of breast lesions in automated 3D breast ultrasounds but did little to better the interpretation of experienced readers, according to a study published in the November issue of Academic Radiology.

An optical imaging technique that measures metabolic activity in cancer cells can identify breast cancer subtypes and reveal treatment response as soon as two days post-therapy administration, according to a study published Oct. 15 in the American Association for Cancer Research’s journal, Cancer Research.

The percentage of women who underwent breast cancer screening mammography in Vermont declined from 45.3 percent in 2009 to 41.6 percent in 2011, a decrease that coincides with the 2009 revision of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for screening, according to a study published online Sept. 26 in Radiology.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval of a Perjeta (pertuzumab) regimen for neoadjuvant treatment (use before surgery) in people with high-risk, HER2-positive early stage breast cancer. This approval is based primarily on data from a Phase II study showing that nearly 40 percent of people receiving the combination of Perjeta, Herceptin (trastuzumab) and docetaxel chemotherapy had no evidence of tumour tissue detectable at the time of surgery (known as a pathological complete response, or pCR). The Perjeta regimen is the first neoadjuvant breast cancer treatment approved by the FDA and also the first to be approved based on pCR data.

Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MMSI), a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices used primarily in cardiology, radiology and endoscopy, today announced that it has acquired the assets of Radial Assist, which include the RAD BOARD(R), RAD BOARD(R)XTRA(TM), RAD TRAC(TM), and RAD REST(R) devices.

OrthoSensor announced today plans to launch its VERASENSE Knee System in European markets after recently receiving CE Mark approval. VERASENSE is the first integrated intelligent orthopaedic device to provide surgeons with real-time quantitative data on knee implant positioning, limb alignment and soft tissue balance during total knee replacement surgery.

One of the major issues with breast cancer screening is reducing the number of false positives, as they can lead to expensive and potentially harmful downstream testing. A new screening technique being developed by a joint Brigham Young University and University of Utah research team aims to solve this issue.

When Baltimore Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center expanded its mammography screening program in 2008 to cater to a growing number of female veterans, the hope was that the interval from diagnosis to treatment would decrease. However, time to treatment actually grew longer with increased volumes in the post-intervention period.