Molecular Imaging to Improve Cancer Detection in Dense Breasts

December 28, 2009 - The Mayo Clinic will further develop and commercialize a suite of its licensed technologies in conjunction with a molecular breast imaging system called Lumagem in an effort to improve the diagnosis of cancers in women with dense breasts. An estimated 30 percent of women have dense breast tissue, which can impede diagnosis of abnormalities. Existing mammography and other screening techniques are at times either insufficient or very expensive diagnostic tools. Molecular breast imaging may be a cost-effective solution for these women. The suite of technologies invented by Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists, headed by Michael O'Connor, Ph.D., are designed to enhance the existing capabilities of the Lumagem dual-headed imaging system by Gamma Medica-Ideas (GMI) through special image processing software algorithms and collimator and detector optimization techniques. The license also includes methods and devices developed at Mayo for combining next generation X-ray tomosynthesis techniques with molecular imaging of the breast. In initial clinical studies, the Mayo algorithms licensed to GMI yield better images at lower dose. Dr. O'Connor noted that his team has used Lumagem technology combined with their inventions to perform close to 2,000 patient studies at Mayo over the past four years. He added, "We believe that the combination of GMI's detector technology and the algorithms and techniques developed at Mayo, will enable us to achieve a significant reduction in the radiation dose required for molecular breast imaging, and increase the diagnostic utility of this technique." For more information: www.mayoclinic.com, http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2008/09/03/breast-cancer-molecular-breas… and www.gm-ideas.com