Volpara Solutions Launches VolparaDensity 3.0 at RSNA for Automatic Assessment of Breast Density for 2D and 3D Mammography

CHICAGO, Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Volpara Solutions today announced the launch of VolparaDensity version 3.0 here at the 100^th Annual Meeting of the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA), November 30-December 5, 2014 (RSNA Booth 1752 – South Hall). VolparaDensity 3.0, the first breast density assessment tool available clinically for use with digital breast tomosynthesis datasets from multiple manufacturers, is already in use at Peninsula Diagnostic Imaging in San Mateo and Santa Barbara Women's Imaging in Santa Barbara, Calif. 

VolparaDensity for use with Hologic tomosynthesis systems will be available immediately and the new version for use with GE and Siemens* tomosynthesis units will be available in early 2015.

A digital breast tomosynthesis exam, sometimes called a 3D mammogram, is performed similarly to a traditional mammogram where the technologist compresses the breast and acquires images from different angles.  Tomosynthesis is a multi-view mammography technique where each of the individual tomosynthesis projections acquired is a low dose, 2D projection mammogram.

"We screen patients with dense breasts with 3D tomosynthesis while women with fatty breasts continue to get conventional 2D digital mammography because of the lower dose. We are excited to have the option of providing objective, volumetric breast density for all of our patients as the ability to provide consistent and accurate breast density values is critical to proper patient management.  Breast density assessment should be the same no matter if the image was acquired using 2D or 3D.  It is, after the all, the same breast, so it is very reassuring that VolparaDensity has been highly correlated between mammography and tomosynthesis," said Susan Marks, MD, director of breast imaging at Peninsula Diagnostic Imaging.

The VolparaDensity software, which has been in clinical use since 2010, was developed to be suitable for use with both digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis data from any manufacturer.   VolparaDensity uses the same algorithm to process both the acquired tomosynthesis projections and the raw data of a conventional 2D mammogram.  VolparaDensity 3.0 also reduces the challenges of visually determining breast density based on a review of tomosynthesis slices and the new synthetic 2D images (C-View from Hologic, V-Preview from GE) and enables consistent density assessments based on each patient's actual breast tissue composition.

"Informing women about their breast density is critical to their ability to make informed decisions about their breast health.  By providing reproducible and consistent volumetric density for 3D tomosynthesis, VolparaDensity helps improve screening for women with dense breasts by enabling radiologists to more systematically determine which patients would benefit from supplemental imaging such as automated breast ultrasound," said Judy Dean, MD, senior Radiologist, Santa Barbara Women's Imaging.

"VolparaDensity with 3D breast tomosynthesis brings a powerful new combination to the early detection of breast cancer and allows us to further tailor the screening protocol for each woman based on dose and clinical benefits," said Bruce F. Schroeder, MD, Carolina Breast Imaging Specialists in Greenville, North Carolina, which recently began using the GE SenoClaire 3D breast tomosynthesis system.

"As tomosynthesis users determine the optimal acquisition mode balancing patient dose and clinical benefit, VolparaDensity can be configured to work with conventional 2D image sets as well as 3D tomosynthesis projection data. This ensures that every woman will receive consistent breast density scores regardless of whether she has received mammography or tomosynthesis," said Ralph Highnam, PhD., Volpara Solutions CEO and Chief Scientist.  

VolparaDensity is in use at breast imaging centers worldwide to help radiologists objectively assess density from both digital mammography and tomosynthesis images and to determine which women would benefit from additional screening.  Highly correlated to breast MR assessments, VolparaDensity is a reliable tool that automatically generates an objective measurement of volumetric breast density correlated to the ACR (American College of Radiology) breast density categories.  To date, 4-million women have had their breast density analyzed using VolparaDensity. 

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About Volpara Solutions
Founded with the goal of helping radiologists give women the most accurate information possible regarding their breast health, Volpara Solutions is the wholly owned sales and marketing arm of Matakina Technology Limited of New Zealand.  Cleared by the FDA, HealthCanada, the TGA, and CE-marked, VolparaDensity provides an objective volumetric measure of breast density from both digital mammography and tomosynthesis images. VolparaDensity is part of a suite of quantitative breast imaging tools built on the Volpara Solutions algorithm that allows for personalized measurements of density, patient-specific x-ray dose, breast compression and other factors designed to provide critical insight for breast imaging workflow.  For more information, visit www.volparasolutions.com

* The Siemens tomosynthesis system is pending approval by the FDA and is not yet available in the US. 

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SOURCE Volpara Solutions

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