Gamma Medica, Alpha Imaging And Major Health Partners (MHP) Announce New Partnership To Provide First Lumagem In Indiana And First MBI At MHP Medical Center As A Secondary Breast Cancer Screening Option For Women With Dense Breast Tissue

MBI to provide early detection and increased breast cancer diagnosis for women with dense breast tissue and whose cancers weren’t detected by a routine mammogram

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. & Willoughby, Ohio & SALEM, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gamma Medica, a leader in molecular breast imaging (MBI) technology announced today that through its collaboration with Ohio-based Alpha Imaging, Indiana-based Major Health Partners (MHP) has purchased and installed Gamma Medica’s LumaGEM Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) system, the state’s first LumaGEM and the hospital’s first MBI. The MBI technology will be offered as a secondary screening and diagnostic tool following mammography, particularly for women with dense breast tissue. This proven imaging modality will enhance early breast cancer detection for women who face a greater risk of breast cancer.

“Coupled with breast tomosynthesis, MBI allows us to provide a more comprehensive solution to our clients. It’s one more advancement in early detection of breast cancer.”

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women, causing approximately 40,000 annual deaths in the U.S. alone. More than 40 percent of U.S. women have dense breast tissue, which both increases the risk of developing breast cancer and decreases the visibility of a cancer on conventional mammograms. Until undergoing their first mammogram, most women are unaware of the condition and may not fully understand its potential significance.

Designed for dense breast tissue, MBI is a groundbreaking technology that significantly improves early detection of breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. The technology has proven to be as effective, or more, as a secondary screening method compared to full-field ultrasound or MRI with far fewer false positives. Clinical research shows use of LumaGEM MBI reduces the need for tissue biopsies by 50 percent compared to other modalities. MBI is also more comfortable and better tolerated by most patients than conventional mammography or MRI.

“MHP Medical Center’s installation of our LumaGEM MBI system validates progress in giving all women, regardless of their breast density, access to accurate breast cancer screenings,” said Philip Croxford, Gamma Medica president and CEO. “Our relationship with MHP and Alpha Imaging has opened the door for more women in Indiana and the Midwest to access MBI as a standard secondary screening protocol, following digital mammography or tomosynthesis. We are pleased to be working together to ensure early detection for women across the U.S.”

“Alpha Imaging is pleased to have the LumaGEM MBI system in our portfolio,” said Mike Colaiacovo, VP of Sales at Alpha Imaging. “Coupled with breast tomosynthesis, MBI allows us to provide a more comprehensive solution to our clients. It’s one more advancement in early detection of breast cancer.”

“The Mayo Clinic and others have shown the utility of MBI for both supplemental screening for breast cancer with underlying dense breast tissue and diagnostic problem-solving in breast health care,” said Scott Miller, MD, radiologist at MHP. “We consider MBI to be an integral component of breast cancer diagnosis, and we were impressed by the data documenting a significant increase in cancer detection rates through use of the LumaGEM MBI system.”

A breakthrough retrospective study that was published in the American Journal of Roentgenology’s August issue monitored over 1,700 women with dense breast tissue over a three-year period. The study confirmed LumaGEM’s additional cancer detection rate of 7.7 cancers per thousand, an increase from 3 cancers per thousand with mammography alone. The study also concluded that of the additional breast cancers found, approximately 85 percent of these cancers were node negative, indicating they were detected at an early stage and therefore presented a better prognosis.

To educate women this year about the importance of MBI and breast density, Gamma Medica launched the Be Certain campaign, which aims to give physicians and women access to the most accurate clinical information on breast density and breast cancer detection. In addition to education, Gamma Medica is committed to increasing the number of accurate early breast cancer screenings through installations at major facilities. Every woman deserves to Be Certain about her breast health and access to the latest diagnostic tools to help reduce late diagnosis and improve patient clinical outcomes.

About Major Health Partners
Founded in 1924, Major Health Partners (MHP) is a not-for-profit organization that provides exceptional health care services to residents in Shelby County (Indiana) and the south-central Indiana region. MHP is scheduled to open its new hospital, located inside the MHP Medical Center (2451 Intelliplex Dr., Shelbyville, IN), in January 2017. In addition to its new state-of-the-art hospital, MHP also provides a wide range of health services, including physician services, oncology services, rehabilitation services, and home health care. MHP has been ranked numerous times as one of America’s Top 100 Hospitals and is one of the top rankings for inpatient satisfaction in central Indiana. Learn more at www.myMHP.org.

About Alpha Imaging
Alpha Imaging, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the largest independent sales and service providers of advanced medical imaging equipment in the United States. Celebrating 30 years in the imaging industry, Alpha Imaging partners with leading global manufacturers to deliver state-of-the-art products and services that meet the clinical, operational and economic needs of the U.S. healthcare market. One of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing companies for nine straight years, Alpha Imaging builds customer loyalty with a personal touch rarely seen in today’s medical imaging marketplace. Learn more about Alpha Imaging at www.alpha-imaging.com.

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, with women who have dense breast tissue. The company’s LumaGEM® MBI system is the first commercially available, FDA-cleared, fully solid-state digital imaging system 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.