GE Healthcare said its innovative technology for breast cancer diagnosis, which had been developed in collaboration with the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), has won clearance from the US drug authority.

The novel SenoBright Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) technology was designed to produce contrast-enhanced images of breast using a legally approved x-ray contrast agent and a dual energy acquisition technique, said the GE in a statement.

Launched in 2010, the technology is already in use at 17 major mammography centers in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Japan. SenoBright uses X-rays at multiple energies to create two separate but almost simultaneous exposures.

The resulting images specifically illuminate and highlight areas of iodinated contrast.

The Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) 510(k) clearance of the SenoBright CESM technology will help physicians in breast cancer diagnosis.

As per GE estimates, more than a million women worldwide will be examined using SenoBright CESM by 2020, and this technology can help lead to more productive diagnosis paths for nearly 250,000 women.

Aziz Koleilat, general manager at GE Healthcare in the Middle East region, said: “Innovative ideas can have a transformational impact on our society’s overall health and contribute to a better quality of living.'

'We are pleased that SenoBright CESM was developed through our partnership with the QSTP, which demonstrates our commitment to localized research,' the official said.

The goal of the joint research program was to develop new and innovative technologies for aiding in the diagnosis of breast cancer using the latest developments in digital mammography, he added.

Aziz said the tieup was in line with its commitment to the region to enable technology transfer, drive innovation and create solutions that help address the pressing healthcare challenges faced by the Middle East.
 
Anne LeGrand, GE Healthcare VP and GM global X-ray business, said more than 1.2 million people annually are diagnosed with breast cancer across the globe.

'Since 1965, GE Healthcare has made significant progress in providing solutions for breast cancer detection and diagnosis that really bring a change to people’s lives,' she noted.

'Today through ‘healthymagination’, we continuously develop innovations to reduce costs, increase access and improve quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery around the globe,” Anne stated.

'Digital mammography is considered a relevant means of breast cancer screening, delivering proven clinical outcomes,' she noted.

'The sensitivity and specificity of images can, however, be affected by a range of factors. Dense breast tissue can overlap with lesions, which are not always visible on an X-ray, and radiologists’ interpretation of images can vary,' she said.

'Inconclusive digital mammography presents a range of challenges to healthcare professionals and patients. Ambiguity can result in diagnostic error,' Anne explained. 
 
SenoBright, she said, was intended to allow for a procedure to be conducted by the same staff, using the same mammography equipment, potentially on the same day as a traditional screening exam, thereby helping medical professionals to cut the critical time patients often have to wait from detection to diagnosis.

GE Healthcare estimates that 2500 digital mammography systems upgradeable to SenoBright are in clinical use today – delivering an excellent investment for these customers - and providing added functionality to an existing and vital tool. -TradeArabia News Service