
Our Capitol Imaging Services affiliate, Diagnostic Imaging Services (DIS), the only independently-owned radiology practice of its type in the greater New Orleans area to offer Genius 3D mammography shares an announcement released by the Genius manufacturer, Hologic, Inc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Genius 3D as superior to standard 2D mammography for routine breast cancer screening of women with dense breasts.1
3D mammography is Genius!
The Genius exam has been commercially available in the U.S. since 2011 and DIS began offering Genius 3D mammography in 2013. We perform Genius 3D screening and diagnostic mammograms at our Covington, Marrero, Metairie and Slidell, LA centers.
Between 40 and 50 percent of women ages 40 to 74 have dense breasts.2,3 Density is only identifiable on a mammogram or other imaging modalities, and reflects how much fibrous or glandular tissue is in the breast. Women with dense breasts often require additional imaging, which can result in increased patient anxiety and unnecessary costs. Perhaps most importantly, women with very dense breasts are four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with less dense breasts.4,5
To increase awareness of this issue, 31 states, including Louisiana, require some level of breast density notification after a mammogram, but often this can result in confusion for women receiving the notification letters.
“Radiologists and referring physicians needed an answer for how to screen the roughly half of women with dense breasts, because until now, this patient population was confused and frustrated without a clear path forward,” said Pete Valenti, Hologic’s Division President, Breast and Skeletal Health Solutions. “We are pleased today to provide this definitive guidance from the FDA that the Genius exam is a superior screening solution for women with dense breasts. This is yet another reason referring physicians can feel confident in recommending Hologic’s Genius exam.”
“Patients, and even referring physicians, have been confused about the current recommendations on when to start screening for breast cancer given the conflicting guidance from medical societies,” said Elizabeth Rafferty, MD, who led a study called the “Effect of age on breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” “The fact that tomosynthesis offers specific benefit to women in their 40’s is not surprising, but the magnitude of that benefit was unexpected. We needed a better screening tool, and tomosynthesis fills that void. The substantial increase in cancer detection, along with fewer false positive studies, should address any concerns that have lingered over screening this population of women. The time has come for tomosynthesis to be viewed as the standard of care for breast cancer screening, beginning at age 40,” she added.
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1 U.S. Food & Drug Administration Premarket Approval (PMA). FDA.gov https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpma/pma.cfm?id=P080003S005 accessed June 5, 2017.
2 Ho JM, Jafferjee N, Covarrubias GM, Ghesani M, Handler B. Dense breasts: a review of reporting legislation and available supplemental screening options. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 203(2):449-56, 2014.
3 Sprague BL, Gangnon RE, Burt V, et al. Prevalence of mammographically dense breasts in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst. 106(10), 2014.
4 Boyd NF, Guo H, Martin LJ, et al. Mammographic density and the risk and detection of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 356(3):227-36, 2007.
5 Yaghjyan L, Colditz GA, Collins LC, et al. Mammographic breast density and subsequent risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women according to tumor characteristics. J Natl Cancer Inst. 103(15):1179-89, 2011.