Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) is an emerging breast imaging technique known for its sensitivity. Digital mammography is combined with the use of a contrast agent for a more precise approach to diagnosing breast cancer and managing care.
Medical imaging company Hologic and pharmaceutical giant Bayer have announced a collaborative effort to introduce CEM solutions to improve breast cancer detection by uniting Hologic's advanced mammography gantries and Bayer's CEM-approved injection systems. The goal is to seamlessly integrate contrast media into routine mammography examinations.
“Breast cancer is the world’s most prevalent cancer, impacting millions of women and their loved ones around the globe,” Gerd Krueger, president of radiology at Bayer, said in an announcement. “Accurate and timely detection is crucial to improve patient outcomes and save patients’ lives. We are excited to join forces with Hologic to deliver a comprehensive solution to our customers and increase access to an emerging breast imaging modality that can help improve diagnostic accuracy as well as provide an alternative imaging option for many women who need it.”
In addition to equipment provision, both companies are working on an education and training program to ensure that radiologists can confidently incorporate CEM into their existing diagnostic workflow.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer. That same year, 685,000 women died from breast cancer globally.
Studies have shown that CEM serves as an alternative imaging option when MRIs are not available, and further the technique may be able to perform diagnostic tasks once thought to be only feasible in an MRI. CEM has been shown in studies to not only be effective at diagnosing breast cancer, but also for monitoring response to therapy and evaluating the extent of disease.
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