Panel Recommends Use of Ultrasound Machines to Screen for Breast Cancer

A US Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended that the agency approve the widespread use of automated ultrasound machines in screening for breast cancer.

The FDA's Radiological Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee looked into the safety and effectiveness of Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS), manufactured by U-Systems, and found that the machines provide detailed image of dense breast tissue to the doctors, allowing them to spot cancerous tumors.

Experts predict that the approval for ABUS could help doctors detect an additional 30 percent of breast cancers which are difficult to find due to dense breast tissue.

Expressing his confidence that the FDA will give the approval, U-Systems CEO Ron Ho said "If the FDA approves the somo*v PMA, this important adjunctive screening tool for women with dense breasts has the opportunity to become widely available in clinical practice. This is vitally important, because at least 40% of women in the United Stated have dense breast tissue."

Source: Medindia