A clinical research study is now in progress that will help determine if the use of 3D Automated Breast Ultrasound technology (ABUS), if used in combination with routine mammograms, can detect breast cancer more accurately in women with dense breast tissue than routine mammograms alone, according to a WWJ News Radio 950 report out of Michigan. Leading the study at Michigan’s Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital is Dr. Biren A. Shah, a radiologist.
What Exactly is ABUS?
ABUS is a type of breast imaging technology that uses sound waves to create 3D photos of breast tissue. It differs from traditional mammography, which uses radiation to produce a 2D image. While mammography is still the preferred technology for the early detection of breast cancer, it is thought that ABUS may be more successful in detecting cancer in those with dense breast tissue or implants.
Leading the pack in this new ultrasound technology is SomoVu, an ABUS developed by the Silicon Valley-based U-Systems, Inc., according to Radiology Today. It works by using a transducer arm instead of the more standard handheld probe, in conjunction with a display workstation, the article states. The most important feature of this technology is that it is capable of providing medical personnel with a coronal view of breast tissue, something a 2D image could never do. A coronal view is best described as a vertical cut-away slice of the breast as seen from the front, or a view of the tissue from the skin to the chest wall.
The process goes as follows: the ultrasound technologist takes three scans of each breast — one scan each for the front, outer and inner sides. The whole exam reportedly takes less than 15 minutes, providing a physician with a 3D ultrasound of the inside of a patient’s breasts regardless of a patient’s breast density class.
ABUS only has FDA approval for use as a diagnostic tool, and is not authorized for use in routine breast screening, according to the Radiology Today article. However, if the results of the research study favor ABUS as a breast cancer screening tool, that could change. If it is found to be successful, it could permanently change the face of early detection of breast cancer. This is definitely a research study for ultrasound technicians to keep an eye on!