SALEM, N.H. & ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gamma Medica, a leader in molecular breast imaging (MBI) technology, today announced that Mercy Medical Center a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island has purchased and installed New York’s first clinical LumaGEM® Molecular Breast Imaging system. MBI is a secondary screening and diagnostic tool that is particularly useful for women who have dense breast tissue and women with a high risk of being diagnosed with cancer. It is a proven, effective supplementary screening method to mammography, significantly increasing early detection in women who are at a higher risk due to dense breast tissue.
“This is just the latest milestone in Mercy’s longstanding dedication to the fight against cancer.”
Approximately 50 percent of U.S. women are reported to have dense breast tissue,* however, many women do not realize they have dense breasts or what it means for their increased risk of breast cancer. Because dense breast tissue and cancer both appear white on mammograms, cancer detection through mammography alone is difficult and may lead to false negatives or delayed diagnoses.* Over 40,000 U.S. women die from breast cancer annually, making early detection imperative.*
“We are thrilled to partner with the Mercy Medical Center to provide the women of New York access to state-of-the art MBI technology,” said Philip Croxford, Gamma Medica president and CEO. “Partnering with such a prestigious facility and installing a LumaGEM MBI system provides the opportunity to help women at risk in the New York area.”
“The acquisition of the Molecular Breast Imaging system will better enable the detection of cancer to save lives,” said Mercy’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Ron Steimel. “This is just the latest milestone in Mercy’s longstanding dedication to the fight against cancer.”
While mammograms may fail to detect breast tumors due to tissue density, MBI highlights metabolic activity in these tumors despite breast density, leading to an earlier diagnosis.* A breakthrough retrospective clinical study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology confirmed MBI’s high incremental cancer detection rate: MBI was able to detect 7.7 cancers per 1,000 women screened that were not found using mammography.* Approximately 85 percent of these cancers were node negative, meaning they were detected at an earlier stage and presented a better prognosis.*
“Mercy Medical Center is thrilled to add Gamma Medica’s LumaGEM to our suite of leading breast imaging technology,” said Conellia Ha, MD, director of radiology at Mercy. “As a supplement to 3D mammography, MBI will help us detect cancers in dense tissue that may have been missed by mammography alone. We feel confident that LumaGEM will support our mission to provide the best diagnostic care for our patients—the data behind MBI speaks for itself.”
To educate women about breast density and breast cancer screening options, Gamma Medica launched the Be Certain educational campaign, which aims to provide the most accurate information for physicians, patients and caregivers. In addition to education, Gamma Medica is committed to increasing the number of accurate early breast cancer screenings through installations at major facilities like Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.becertain.info.
*Citations available upon request.
About Gamma Medica, Inc.
Gamma Medica, Inc. is a women’s health company focused on overcoming the limitations of anatomical imaging experienced by mammography and other screening modalities in the early detection of breast cancer. The company’s LumaGEM® MBI system is the first commercially available, FDA-cleared, fully solid-state digital imaging systeFm utilizing dual-head Digital Direct Conversion Gamma Imaging™ (DDCGI™) technology for molecular breast imaging. With over 90 percent sensitivity and specificity, LumaGEM MBI has been shown to significantly improve cancer detection in women with dense breast tissue with fewer false positives relative to anatomical imaging technologies, such as MRI and whole breast ultrasound. For more information visit, www.gammamedica.com.
About Mercy Medical Center
Celebrating more than 100 years, Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre is designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, as well as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence® by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Mercy is also the recipient of an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons and consecutive Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. And, in recognition of the value it places on superior nursing care, Mercy has the Pathway to Excellence® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Mercy provides comprehensive medical and surgical care and is a leader in minimally-invasive surgery, joint-replacement, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, spine and neurosurgery, in-patient acute rehabilitation, diagnostic and interventional radiology, maternity and newborn services and women’s health. For more information, visit mercymedicalcenter.chsli.org.
Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence® is a registered trademark of the American Society For Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Used by permission of ASMBS. All rights reserved
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