Radiography--DALSA Life Sciences

Applications: Radiography/Mammography

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Mammogram Radiography means slow-scan x-ray imaging (faster x-ray scanning is called fluoroscopy). In applications such as mammography, radiography is vital tool in detecting anomalies to prevent breast cancer. But specific radiographic techniques go beyond just detecting anomalies. If a biopsy becomes necessary, radiography can help doctors position biopsy needles properly through a process called stereotactic imaging. And if surgery (e.g. "lumpectomy") is necessary to remove potentially cancerous lesions, specimen radiography is vital in confirming that what has been removed (excised) contains the the entire lesion.

DALSA Life Sciences systems are incorporated into medical imaging equipment in clinical use to significantly increase the speed and convenience of stereotactic biopsy needle positioning, spot imaging, needle localization, and specimen radiography. This in turn decreases patient risk, significantly reduces patient discomfort, and increases patient throughput.

Stereotactic Imaging for Positioning Biopsy Needles

Biopsy needle, positioned with information from stereotactic imaging

Stereotactic imaging involves taking 2-D images from different angles and correlating them to determine 3-D positioning. DALSA Life Science products have been used for stereotactic imaging to automate the accurate placement of breast biopsy needles. The advantages of these systems' real-time feedback are significant:

More accurate positioning to ensure the biopsy needle hits the target on the first attempt
Patients spend a fraction of the time clamped into uncomfortable x-ray equipment
Faster diagnoses for better patient care
Higher throughput increases cost effectiveness

Specimen Radiography

Digital breast specimen radiograph

In surgical removal of lesions (e.g. tumors), thoroughness is vital. The question "did they get it all?" is crucial because if not completely removed, abnormalities can grow back. At the same time, both patient and doctor want to minimize the amount of material removed. So specimen radiography--x-raying excised tissue--is standard practice to ensure that what was removed contains the entire lesion. The surgeon must confirm complete removal before the surgery can be completed, and imaging what has been removed is both safer and more practical than x-raying what remains.

While conventional specimen radiography is important it is not without problems. After excising tissue, a surgeon must often wait 20 minutes or more while the specimen is taken elsewhere, imaged, the film processed and reviewed by a radiologist, etc. All this time the patient remains on the operating table.

DALSA Life Sciences has developed digital imaging modules specifically for Digital Specimen Radiography systems that can be place directly in the operating room. The advantages of the immediate feedback provided by such systems include:

Less "down time" for patients, with smaller risk of infection or negative anaesthetic effects
Less down time for surgical teams, increasing OR throughput

DALSA Life Sciences system superior to film in University of Arizona study

In a study by Drs. Hans Roehrig and Elizabeth Krupinski of the University of Arizona's Medical Imaging Dept. and DALSA Life Sciences' Dr. William Schempp, untrained subjects attempted to identify targets in x-ray images taken with traditional film-based radiography, digital computed radiography, and a digital radiographic system from DALSA Life Sciences (formerly MedOptics). Across all target sizes and dose levels, subjects were clearly more successful in identifying the targets using the DALSA Life Sciences system than any other--up to three times more successful than with traditional film. While this study was done in controlled lab conditions, the implications are clear--not only is the DLS solution faster and more convenient, it can lay claim to being a more effective way to detect lesions.

For more information, contact Sales.