News

New Diagnostic Imaging Europe nu:view user interview!

This time, it’s with Prof. Andreas Boss, Senior Consultant responsible for breast imaging at the University Hospital Zurich and longest-standing nu:view user since 2018, who speaks about the way the system is used in an opportunistic screening setting in the Swiss canton of Zurich, and his findings on the examination of patients with implants in particular. Informative read (3 pages)!

Download the full interview here:
Breast CT in women with breast implants (Diagnostic Imaging Europe, June 2021) (PDF)

“In one patient extensive calcifications were found in the capsule fibrosis, and was best detected in breast-CT. In the surrounding glandular breast tissue, we were able to show that both microcalcifications and soft tissue lesions can be detected, which justifies the use of breast-CT in patients with breast implants not just for diagnostic and screening purposes, but also for follow-up examinations after breast cancer.”

„There are typically two complications associated with silicone implants, namely rupture and capsule fibrosis. Both show typical patterns in breast-CT. In case of rupture, the so-called “linguine signs” which are caused by the broken elastomeric casing of the implant can be clearly seen. […] Capsule fibrosis is the other common problem of silicone implants, and is caused by a foreign body reaction of the surrounding tissue. Often, capsule fibroses show calcifications, which can only be visualized using breast-CT. […]“

“We receive excellent feedback from those patients, with more than 90% expressing positive acceptance of the new technique. Because of this we have a growing number of women referred to us for breast-CT.”

“To summarize our experience with breast-CT in patients with silicone implants and its role in a regimen using supplemental ultrasound in patients with dense breasts we found that it is a breast imaging modality of high accuracy and with a radiation dose similar to mammography. With its many advantages over alternative imaging modalities, breast-CT has the potential to become the modality of choice for both breast cancer screening and diagnostic imaging.”

“Breast diagnostics in a new dimension: high resolution, 3-dimensional images of the female breast, acquired by a dedicated CT scanner, the mamma CT.”

Watch the 3 min. TV report that was aired on WDR Lokalzeit Dortmund earlier this year – now with English subtitles. Hear what patient Julia T. who got her breasts checked and radiologist Dr. Karsten Ridder have to say about the compression-free breast imaging modality.

WDR Lokalzeit Dortmund – Breast CT, with friendly permission (German language, English subtitles; 3 min.)

We are very pleased to take part in the virtual exhibition at the Mamma Course “Modern Breast Diagnostics and Therapy” of the University Hospital Erlangen.

The 2-day online training chaired by Prof. Rüdiger Schulz-Wendtland and Prof. Michael Uder will encompass various methods of breast diagnostics and go into the experience of using nu:view breast CT in Erlangen.

Friday, 02. July 2021, 18:35h – 19:20h
Brust-CT: update and future
Prof. Evelyn Wenkel, University Hospital Erlangen

During the breaks, you will have the opportunity to chat with our experts.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

Click here for the program schedule.*

Further information

* Please note that the congress language is German

Curious what to expect at the AB-CT booth at ECR 2021?

• fascinating real 3D images taken with nu:view
• a radiologists insights – a nu:view user shares his experience
• diagnostic value and cutting edge technology of mamma CT
• the gantry – what a breast CT scan looks like from the inside
• information hub with recommended readings, research publications and carefully curated videos
• the possibility to meet and chat with us

We are looking forward to meeting and live-chat with you!

Please note that this is a ticketed event, registration is required.

nu:view has made it on the front cover of the latest issue of Diagnostic Imaging Europe (DIE)!

In this 4-page exclusive user interview, Dr. Karsten Ridder of MVZ Prof. Dr. Uhlenbrock und Partner in Dortmund gives detailed first-hand insight into his experience with the system, including the tangible benefits for imaging diagnostics, as well as his radiology practice and patients.

Download the full interview here:
Breast CT – A Ground-breaking Innovation (Diagnostic Imaging Europe, Nov 2020) (PDF)

“I am not exaggerating when I say that from my point of view the performance of the Mamma-CT system is simply breath-taking. With every case, the image quality is like something out of science fiction.”

“It is the only modality which combines 3D visualization of masses, calcifications, architectural distortions and contrast enhancement in one go.”

“For me it is thus very close to a “onestop shop” in that in a single examination it provides more reliable data and information than any other machine on the market.”

“(…) if you take the positive reaction of the women to the short, pain-free examination on the one hand with the high sensitivity and specificity on the other, the combination makes the future of the new system look very promising.”

Background illustration: Tomislav Jakupec / Pixabay

Did you know there’s a way for compression-free diagnosticimaging for women with breast implants, without the wait and shortcomings of MRI?

Initial experience recently published in a study by the University Hospital Zurich* confirms spiral breast CT to present “a promising modality for evaluating breast density, implant integrity, extensive capsular fibrosis, soft tissue lesions and micro-/macrocalcifications without the need of breast compression utilizing a lower dose compared to doses reported for conventional four-view mammography.”

Read the full research article to learn more.

*observational study of initial experiences with images of 21 women with implants (silicone/saline), Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. L. Ruby, S. Shim, N. Berger, M. Marcon, T. Frauenfelder, A. Boss. “Diagnostic value of a spiral breast computed tomography system equipped with photon counting detector technology in patients with implants”. In: Medicine 99.30 (2020), e20797. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000020797

After multiple reports in the local media over the past months, our breast CT system nu:view has now also caught the attention of the national press.

At the end of breast cancer awareness month October, major media outlets such as t-online, ZEIT ONLINE, Handelsblatt, RTL online and Münchner Merkur picked up  the topic – and introduced breast CT as a new, innovative approach for breast imaging.

“We are very much delighted that the Germany-wide coverage introduces our spiral breast CT to a broader audience, and more women will be informed about this diagnostic possibility,” says Benjamin Kalender, CEO of AB-CT. “Today, mamma diagnostics does no longer have to mean breast compression.”

Excerpt of recent publications (in German language):

Brustkrebs frühzeitig erkennen: Gibt es Alternativen zur Mammographie? (t-online)

Wie Mediziner Brustkrebs auf die Schliche kommen (ZEIT ONLINE)

Brustdiagnostik in neuer Dimension: Hightech-Brust-CT im MVZ Prof. Dr. Uhlenbrock und Partner in Dortmund (IN-StadtMagazine, aktuelle Lokalberichterstattung Dortmund)

Weltneuheit – Mammadiagnostik ohne Kompression: Neues Brust-CT in Regensburger Radiologiepraxis im MediPark (Lokalberichterstattung Regensburg, Archiv)

image credits: MVZ Prof. Dr. Uhlenbrock und Partner; Andrys Stienstra/Pixabay (background image “newspapers”, modified)

For the first time, AB-CT has installed the spiral breast ct system nu:view in two radiology practices:

The two devices at MVZ Prof. Dr. Uhlenbrock und Partner in Dortmund, Germany and at DIE RADIOLOGEN in Regensburg, Germany are the first installations of the high-tech breast imaging modality in a non-hospital environment.

Dr. med. Karsten Ridder (MVZ Prof. Dr. Uhlenbrock and Partner) and Dr. med. Andreas Kämena (DIE RADIOLOGEN) share their medical experience and discuss the added value of breast CT compared to conventional diagnostic imaging methods.

Press release

Dr. med. Karsten Ridder (MVZ Dortmund):

“The examination procedure [with breast CT] offers way better patient comfort and is much more relaxing for the patient, as we do not have to compress the breast. And it is very fast: In the course of a single 360° rotation around the female breast, up to 2000 projection images are created. A full scan takes as little as 7 – 12 seconds. One beneficial aspect to us radiologists is the extremely high resolution of 0.15 mm. That is seven times the resolution of conventional MRI images.”

“With mamma CT, for the first time, I can also examine breast implants safely. With these images, it is even possible to assess the integrity of the implant and the surrounding glandular parenchyma without the need for any additional contrast agent.”

About the possibility of functional imaging: “Thanks to the 3D images, we can better assess microcalcifications and also exactly measure the size of our findings. Moreover, we can also use them [the 3D images] for proper surgery planning. That is unique in senological diagnostics”

Dr. med. Andreas Kämena (DIE RADIOLOGEN Regensburg):

“The spiral breast CT system nu:view is a world-leading innovation. It allows for high resolution, 3D imaging without superimposition at comparably low radiation dose levels. In our practice, quality and patient care always come first. So this new solution is an ideal fit with the philosophy of our practice”

“nu:view is currently the only solution where it is possible to depict microcalcifications of tumours without breast compression at high resolution. This helps us to diagnose breast cancer early and in time – and completely without pain”

Disclaimer: Original press release and quotes in German language. Translations by AB-CT – Advanced Breast-CT.

Radiologie Magazin 01-2020 p. 16ff.

Innovative breast imaging at the University Hospital Zurich: compression-free without compromise

A report of the Radiologie Magazin about the experiences with the breast CT scanner nu:view at the University Hospital Zurich.

Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Andreas Boss, the senior consultant responsible for breast imaging at USZ, compares breast CT with conventional diagnostic methods and highlights the advantages of breast CT in clinical practice.

Read the full article here (in German language).

On December 3, 2019, Prof. Dr. med. Frauenfelder (Universitätsspital Zürich) was a guest at the RSNA booth of AB-CT and shared his experiences from radiological practice on the basis of selected clinical cases:

“We use mamma-computed tomography primarily as a supplement or alternative to mammography because it is a compression-free method. For many women, this is a relief from the current situation, because this compression is more often experienced as painful. The other thing is that this possibility gives us a superimposition-free imaging of the breast in all three dimensions. We can very accurately localize the tumors or calcifications and we can also make a statement about the type of the calcifications and lesions.”

Brust-CT – AB-CT from Radiologie Magazin on Vimeo.