HEALTH & FITNESS

technology

Breast Cancer

New imaging aids early detection.

I

n his 10 years at Beaumont
Hospital, Dr. Murray Rebner, radi-
ologist and co-director of the
Vattikuti Breast Diagnostic Center,
has seen firsthand how new state-of-
the-art breast imaging is making a dif-
ference in the early detection of breast
cancer.
Over the decade, new imaging tools
have been developed
to give physicians a
larger arsenal in their
battle with breast can-
cer: digital mammog-
raphy; 3T MRI; ultra-
sound; and PET-CT.
Beaumont radi-
ologists took part in
Dr. Murray
a landmark, national
Rebner
study from 2002-2005
that compared the diagnostic accuracy
of digital mammography to film screen.
"The findings were significant,"

explains Rebner. "The results demon-
strated that digital mammography is
better for most women than standard
film screen mammography." Because of
these findings, Beaumont will soon be
one of the largest health care systems
to be totally digital.
While the new breast imaging technol-
ogy is exciting, Rebner is quick to point
out that it's the physicians and techni-
cians that do the procedures and read
the images that make the difference.
The Beaumont hospitals in Royal Oak
and Troy were recently recognized as
a Breast Center of Excellence by the
American College of Radiology.
Aside from skin cancers, breast can-
cer is the most commonly diagnosed
cancer among women in the United
States. About 25 percent of American
women diagnosed with cancer have
breast cancer.
"It's important women know their risk

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factors for breast cancer. This includes
family history and genetic predispo-
sition," says Rebner. "Individuals of
Ashkenazi Jewish descent may have an
altered BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene, which
means their frequency of develop-
ing breast cancer is about eight times
higher than the general population.
Jewish women need to have a height-
ened awareness of their increased risk
of breast cancer and how to best man-
age their own breast health. Our new
high-risk breast program can help them
determine their risk."
Beaumont's high-risk breast program
will open in March at Troy and Royal
Oak. "This innovative program brings
all of our specialists together mak-
ing it easier for the patient. It includes
detailed risk assessment, medical and
surgical treatment, genetic counseling,
diagnostic imaging, patient education
and psychosocial counseling," says
Rebner.
Along with digital mammography, for
women at high risk of developing breast
cancer, magnetic resonance imaging
is also recommended. Beaumont has
3 Tesla MRI units for breast imaging at

its Royal Oak and Troy hospitals. These
powerful, new machines allow better
detection of cancers with high-resolu-
tion images. Beaumont was also one
of first hospitals in the state to perform
MR-guided biopsies. These procedures
should be available at sites that perform
breast MRI.
Ultrasound is another technology
that helps diagnose breast cancer.
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound
waves that make an image of the breast
tissue. It mainly differentiates cystic
from solid masses but it also helps
determine if a solid tumor is benign or
malignant.
Cryoablation is another technology
that holds promise. It is a nonsurgical
procedure that freezes benign breast
tumors. It is hoped in the future that this
technique can be used to treat small
invasive cancers.
The National Cancer Institute has
designated Beaumont Hospitals in
Royal Oak and Troy a Community
Clinical Oncology Program. Many of
its breast imaging patients participate
in research trials which helps advance
knowledge of the disease. LT

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Results

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Dr. R.W. Levine

Dr. D. B. Cohen

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January 29 • 2009

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