New Technology Improves Breast

Cancer Diagnosis

To the surprise of many people, about 85% of breast cancers occur in patients with no family history. The biggest risk factors are simply being female and aging. But when detected early, most types of breast cancer are highly treatable and many are curable. That’s why talking to a physician about personal risk and undergoing consistent screening are so important.

Mammography is the gold standard screening test, but it’s not perfect. It’s physically uncomfortable — which causes some women to avoid it — and for individuals who have dense breast tissue, the density makes it more difficult to see tumors. Dense breast tissue is white on a mammogram, making it harder to see cancers, which are also white. Radiologists describe this as “looking for a snowball in a snow storm.” More than 40 percent of women of screening age have dense breasts, particularly in their younger years.

However, Wilmot is one of the first locations in the United States and the first in New York to offer an advanced ultrasound device designed to improve tumor detection in dense breasts. The device boosted detection by 20 percent, compared to mammography alone, in nationwide clinical trials conducted for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The imaging technique also is more comfortable for the patient: No touch or squeezing required. A person lies face-down on a table with an opening for the breast, which is immersed in a warm water bath as it’s being scanned.

Called SoftVue 3D Whole Breast Ultrasound Tomography, it was co-invented by a Wilmot faculty member, Neb Duric, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of research for Imaging Sciences. (The technology is available for eligible individuals at the UR Medicine Breast Imaging Center, 500 Red Creek Drive.)

In a prior career as an astronomer and astrophysicist, Duric’s niche was image-processing of stars and galaxies — a field that is surprisingly useful and similar to improving image quality for human health.

“Breast imaging radiologists are very aware of the limitations

‘Survive and Thrive’ Clinic

of mammography in women with dense breasts,” says Avice O’Connell, M.D., director of women’s imaging at UR Medicine, who will work with Duric to further develop of the SoftVue system.

“3D imaging is the wave of the future, and SoftVue ensures consistent and reliable images while offering a more comfortable patient experience. It is unmatched by any other imaging modality currently in the marketplace.”

For many reasons, though, it is not feasible for every woman with dense breasts to receive an ultrasound following a screening mammogram. Harvey, the chair of Imaging Sciences, is therefore studying new ways to discern who is most likely to develop a lump between mammograms, or to have a tumor hiding in that blurry “snow storm.”

“That’s been my lifelong passion,” Harvey says. “How do we do better in this regard?”

This new initiative was designed to seamlessly transition patients from their primary treatment team to a dedicated breast cancer survivorship team. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants will provide wellness assessments, sexual health, and frequent communication about health changes or concerns.

Patients will begin to see survivorship providers six-to-12 months after diagnosis, while also seeing their oncology treatment team if necessary. During years three to five after diagnosis, a patient will see a survivorship provider and, depending upon the type of breast cancer, may also continue to visit a medical oncologist. At five years of survivorship and beyond, patients will be supported by the survivorship team, and will be able to receive full physical examinations and assistance with obtaining breast imaging. To make an appointment, please call (585) 487-1700.