One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer at some time during their life.

It's the second major cause of cancer death among women and the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 35 and 54.

When treated early, breast cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer.

With the R2 ImageChecker Computer-Aided Detection System, radiologists at Kosciusko Community Hospital are using the most advanced technology to detect breast cancer at its earliest stage.

"It's a computer program that uses digitized mammograms, mammograms that can run through a computer. It analyzes the mammograms and it highlights areas on a monitor that the radiologist can review after they've read the films to see if there's anything else they need to evaluate further," said Dr. Steven L. Hossler, KCH.

Interpreting mammograms for early signs of breast cancer can be challenging because the images are complex and the beginning signs of the disease are small and subtle.

The ImageChecker is the first computer-aided detection system for screening mammograms to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

ImageChecker uses advanced signal processing and neural network technology to assist the radiologist by identifying areas on the mammogram that contain suspicious features that may warrant a second review.

"What it does," said Hossler, "is act as a double check on what the radiologist has already seen on the mammogram. In reality, you probably reject 70 or 80 percent of what the computer tells you because it's something you've already looked at and either decided it does need to be further evaluated or you've already looked at it and decided it doesn't."

There are approximately five steps for the system to work.

First, the screening mammograms are loaded into the ImageChecker and are processed by the proprietary neural net algorithms, which identify and mark regions with characteristics of cancer.

Secondly, the ImageChecker display files are then transmitted to the Motorized Viewer. The mammographic films are displayed in the conventional manner for review by the radiologist. The radiologist views the mammograms, looking for signs of cancer, and makes his interpretation.

The ImageChecker display files with marker information are viewed by pressing the one-button activator. Finally, based on the marker information, the radiologist re-examines the original mammogram and modifies his interpretation when appropriate.

Clinical studies have shown that in the United States, for every 100,000 cancers detected by mammography, use of the ImageChecker could result in an additional 12,800 breast cancer detections annually, according to Lora Beeson, division director of radiology services at KCH.

"The smaller a tumor is when it's detected," said Hossler, "the better the chance you have of curing it without radiation and chemotherapy and things of that nature, which have problems of their own associated with them."

Hossler said, "I think it will (make the patient feel better) because it's well known that mammograms do not detect anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of breast cancers on the first examination. And, hopefully, this system will decrease that to maybe only 5 percent or less."

He said the system is also a step forward for doctors. "I think it's enormous," he said.

Even if there are only one to three detections a year, though in reality there'll be more than that, Hossler said, "you can't put a value on what it does for those people."

KCH is the first hospital in northeast Indiana offering this development in health care to patients and women in surrounding communities.

"We're the second hospital in the state of Indiana," said Hossler. The only other place in Indiana with an ImageChecker is in Evansville.

"We have some rather forward- thinking people managing our hospital, even though it's a rather expensive piece of equipment and you can't bill specifically for using it, they decided it was worthwhile and that relatively small investment is going to pay off big in the end for the people who get some benefit from it," Hossler said.

The estimated cost of the ImageChecker is $180,000. KCH began using the technology June 1. [[In-content Ad]]