• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Breast Cancer Screening Improved With New Palpation Imaging Technology, Study Finds

Posted on: Wednesday, 20 September 2006, 12:01 CDT

A study published in the October issue of The American Journal of Surgery reports that first-line breast cancer diagnostics can be improved by using new tactile sensing technology that electronically documents clinical breast exam results.

The first peer reviewed study on the niche area of breast cancer diagnostics known as palpation imaging (PI) was performed by a team of surgeons led by Cary Kaufman, M.D., past president of the National Consortium of Breast Centers and assistant clinical professor at the University of Washington (Seattle). Dr. Kaufman used the SureTouch(TM) Visual Mapping System developed by Medical Tactile, Inc. (Los Angeles) to examine 110 patients complaining of a breast mass. Each patient underwent a clinical breast exam performed with palpation imaging, then proceeded to undergo ultrasound and mammography in most cases. Of those with a true mass, palpation imaging using the SureTouch system identified the mass 94 percent of the time, while physical examination alone was successful 86 percent of the time. The positive predictive value (PPV) for breast cancer using the SureTouch device was 94 percent, versus 78 percent for physical examination alone.

The published study is titled "Digital Documentation of the Physical Examination: Moving the clinical breast exam to the electronic medical record" (Am. J. Surg. 2006 Oct; 192/4:444-449). Results of the study were also presented earlier this year at the 7th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Breast Surgeons.

"Palpation imaging using tactile sensing technology represents a new and very promising niche in breast cancer diagnostics," said Dr. Kaufman. "This study presents evidence that palpation imaging improves the sensitivity, specificity and objectivity of manual breast palpation exams, which are the most accessible first line of defense for most women."

Dr. Kaufman notes that while major improvements have occurred in breast imaging over the past 20 years, the documentation of clinical breast exams has remained essentially unchanged since the Halsted mastectomy 100 years ago.

The new palpation imaging technique employs Medical Tactile's SureTouch Visual Mapping System to enhance and quantify the physician's sense of touch during manual palpation in breast cancer screening. The practitioner simply palpates the breast with the hand-held sensor as the portable system creates an electronic record with objective data to help recognize suspicious lesions and make informed recommendations for follow-up radiological diagnostics. Dr. Kaufman cautions that palpation imaging is not a substitute for biopsy, which should always be considered the definitive test for the presence of breast cancer.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million new cases are diagnosed each year.

About Medical Tactile, Inc.

Founded in 2002, Medical Tactile, Inc. (MTI) is an emerging medical device company focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing tactile sensing technology for the early detection of breast cancer. The Company's first product is the SureTouch Visual Mapping System. The system is registered with the FDA for commercial sale in the U.S., and MTI is finalizing CE Mark approval for worldwide distribution. More information about Medical Tactile is available at www.medicaltactile.com.

 Contact:  Erik Deutsch ExcelPR Group (323) 851-2300 x112 erikd@excelpr.com

SOURCE: Medical Tactile, Inc.

Source: MARKET WIRE

More News in this Category