Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood First Private Medical Practice in New York Area to Screen With Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI)

Studies show BSGI comparable to MRI in finding early stage cancers with fewer false positives

RIDGEWOOD, N.J., May 14 /PRNewswire/ — Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood (WDI) is the first private medical practice in the New York metropolitan area and the only medical facility in New Jersey to begin using Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), also known as Molecular Breast Imaging, to look for breast cancer in selected patients. Dr. Lisa Weinstock, WDI Director, said she added BSGI because it is comparable to MRI in finding early cancers but has fewer false positives; costs patients about one third the price of an MRI; and is a more comfortable experience, especially for women who are claustrophobic. During a BSGI exam, the patient sits in a chair and experiences only mild compression of the breast.

While mammography is still the first step in screening for breast cancer, the images are sometimes hard to interpret because of the complexity of breast tissue. Masses can be hidden by dense tissue and scarring from previous surgery can also appear to be an abnormal area.

BSGI complements mammography by showing activity at the cellular level. By seeing how the cells act and not just how the breast looks, radiologists can more accurately differentiate cancer from other structures or benign tissue.

While new for detecting breast cancer, molecular imaging has been used in diagnostic radiology by cardiologists for over 15 years to look for abnormalities in heart function. The patient is injected with a tracing agent that is absorbed by all the cells in the body. To screen for breast cancer, a special Imaging camera detects the tracing agent and translates it into a digital image of the breast. Abnormal cells absorb a greater amount of the tracing agent than non-cancerous cells, due to their increased rate of metabolic activity, and show up as “hot spots,” or dark areas on the images.

WDI uses the Dilon 6800 Imaging Camera from Dilon Technologies, Inc, a high-resolution camera that creates clear pictures of cancers as small as 3 millimeters. It can detect early stage cancers, see lesions in dense breast tissue and provide multiple angle views. It can also give us images of the axilla (armpit) to help identify abnormal lymph nodes.

BSGI and MRI have similar sensitivity, the ability to detect disease, but BSGI has better specificity, determining that disease is not present. Studies comparing both modalities have consistently found that BSGI and MRI have 90 percent sensitivity. However, BSGI was able to reduce the number of inconclusive findings by 50 percent, according to a study presented at this year’s Annual Interdisciplinary Breast Center conference in Las Vegas. Proving that suspicious areas are not cancerous eliminates the need for biopsies which can be uncomfortable and expensive.

BSGI is more effective than MRI in detecting invasive lobular carcinoma, a type of breast cancer found in 15-20 percent of all breast cancer cases that begins in the milk-producing glands, or lobules, and then can spread to surrounding tissues. A study comparing Breast Specific Gamma Imaging, MRI, Mammography and Sonography published in the February issue of the Journal of Roentgenology, documented sensitivities of 93 percent, 83 percent, 79 percent and 68 percent respectively.

About Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood

Women’s Digital Imaging is a private practice led by Dr. Lisa Weinstock, specializing in detecting and diagnosing conditions that affect women including breast cancer, gynecologic diseases and osteoporosis. WDI gives patients the accuracy of the most advanced diagnostic technology and exceptional care from compassionate, highly trained personnel. WDI minimizes the anxiety women feel by providing timely appointments, comfortable surroundings and immediate evaluation following exams. Follow up testing, when needed, is done as quickly as possible, often the same day. When further treatment is necessary, Dr. Weinstock guides patients through the process, providing counsel and support. WDI has over 3,000 patients since opening in 2004.

For more information about BSGI and Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood, visit www.womensdigital.com or contact Dr. Weinstock at 201/444-4484.

    Contact:      Betty Schwartz
    WDI office:   201/444-4484
    Home Office:  201/567-8113
    E-mail:       betty@womensdigital.com

SOURCE Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood (WDI)