Applied Radiology

Early detection of breast cancer is critical. Some studies show that if breast cancer is detected while still localized and before metastatic spread, the 5-year survival rate is 96.8% or better. If the cancer spreads regionally before treatment, the survival rate drops to around 75.9%. If there is distant metastasis, the survival rate drops to around 20.6%. ¹ Borg Imaging finds that even with these compelling statistics, some women are simply too busy. While some women may want to do annual screening, they can allow their screening schedule to slip to 2 or 3 years between mammograms. Women can win the fight against breast cancer -- if it is found and treated early-- and the best way to ensure early detection is with regularly scheduled annual mammograms.

Patients are more active today than ever. Dr. James Schuster, managing partner at Borg Imaging Group, says, "Making Women's Health a part of the patient's normal life style increases the likelihood that the patient will continue screening on a regular basis -- and that is the real challenge. The absolute goal for Borg Imaging is to treat every patient as we would like to be treated ourselves."

Distributed through Greater Rochester, Borg offers the latest in diagnostic imaging technology. A patient can schedule diagnostic or screening visits at any of Borg's mammography facilities throughout the area and get the same great care. Women can even switch between facilities and know that their complete case history, including CAD information, is available at any of the other facilities. An active patient can schedule a visit to coincide with trips to offices in any section of the city or surrounding suburbs. Instead of making the annual trek to the same mammography facility, a patient can book visits as part of daily work schedules or errands. And callbacks can be worked in just as easily. Patients can choose the facility and date most convenient to them.

According to Dr. Janine Fogarty, Director of Women's Imaging at Borg, "Women are concerned about how screening mammography is done and how the case is interpreted. Women want to know that we can detect and find the cancers presented in mammography. They are looking for assurance. We find that using computer-aided detection gives us a level of assurance and a higher standard of care -- just as we would want to be treated ourselves. We actively advertise our screening program and market CAD to the public. It attracts new patients."

CAD was the first step in converting to a digital format, and the digital format makes our plan possible. The iCAD MammoReader Remote Stations located in the branch offices digitize mammograms and create the CAD reports in the originating office. Then the images and the report are sent to the centralized MammoReader II database. Cases are read in batch mode throughout the practice. Batching cases increases efficiency and accuracy in reading. Batching also allows physicians time to do procedures for a portion of the day. Providing CAD at all mammography offices allows the same standard of care through the network of Borg offices. When needed, callbacks can be contacted and booked on the same day or next day. The digital images and CAD reports are saved and will be available for the next visit or checkup.

iCAD is the backbone of the multi-location network. "The CAD is outstanding. Sensitivity to cancer is above and beyond what we expected. iCAD does make us look harder at areas of concern and that improves patient care," says Dr. Schuster. "iCAD is very good at spotting items that are particularly hard to see on film, like masses in dense breast. iCAD is a good companion to mammography as well as to our business. It helps us to achieve our goal to make Women's Health a part of every woman's regular schedule."