 The first models of the new Siemens ultrasound system Acuson S2000 Automated Breast Volume Scanner (ABVS) have taken up operation in European radiological and gynecological clinics and offices. Patients in Switzerland, France, Portugal, Norway and Germany can now be examined with the new system.
Thanks to its more accurate, three-dimensional image acquisition, the technology is particularly suitable for the diagnosis of very dense breast tissue. Dr. Frank Stöblen of the Diavero Diagnostic Center in Essen, Germany, is one of the first physicians to use the new ultrasound technology. "The ABVS system is a fascinating advancement from the previous method of manually guided ultrasound examinations. The automated system provides consistent image quality, regardless of the examiner."
Siemens Healthcare recently introduced the Acuson S2000 ABVS, the world's first multifunctional ultrasound breast scanner that automatically acquires volume images of the female breast. The user-independent, standardized images raise ultrasound examinations to a completely new level. Dr. Frank Stöblen, radiologist and co-owner of the Diavero Diagnostic Center in Essen, is certain that the new ultrasound system with ABVS will become an essential component of breast cancer screening. "This technology will play a key role in early detection. It can also be used for the examination of high-risk patients, for example in case of genetic predisposition or for follow-up during and after cancer treatments."
The innovative system allows for a much higher early detection rate of breast cancer among women with dense breast tissue. According to the New England Journal of Medicine , dense breast tissue increases the risk of breast cancer for a woman by a factor of five. Conventional mammography will continue to be the method of choice for breast cancer screening. However, a study published by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in 2002 has documented that the detection rate of non-palpable, invasive breast cancer increases by 42 percent if the mammography is combined with an ultrasound examination. "I always perform an additional ultrasound examination for patients with dense breast tissue to be sure that the entire area has been thoroughly scanned," says Stöblen.
The automatically acquired, three-dimensional volume images of the new breast scanner provide physicians with data about the entire breast, including a coronal view, which had previously not been available with conventional ultrasound systems. In addition to the automated functions, the Acuson S2000 ABVS allows for all types of manually performed, conventional ultrasound examinations, for instance, biopsies and color Doppler acquisition along with applications such as elastography imaging with the eSieTouch. Dr. Stöblen also likes the image quality of the system, which is a great improvement over previously available ultrasound systems of this type. "The system application is extremely flexible. I can immediately follow up with a manual examination after an automatic image acquisition or use the system for a biopsy if necessary." All of these components help the physician reach a more accurate diagnosis than with conventional methods.
The automatic image acquisition of the Acuson S2000 ABVS offers significant acceleration of examination procedures. While manually performed ultrasound examinations used to take up to 30 minutes, the new technology shortens the examination time to less than 15 minutes. The documentation is enhanced by a semi-automatic reporting process and the integration of the so-called BI-RADS classification. This Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) is a classification of the American College of Radiology (ACR) for reporting mammography screenings.
Coronal display of the breastVolume images provide an even better overview of the anatomy and architecture of the breast tissue than earlier techniques. These 3D images are now able to display the coronal view of the breast (from the nipple to the breast wall) in slices. This view simplifies and accelerates the diagnosis. Dr. Stöblen is very impressed with this feature of the ABVS scanner: "Coronal views of the breast cannot be generated with conventional ultrasound systems. They are extremely helpful, for example when it comes to planning surgical interventions."
About Siemens Healthcare Sector
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 48,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2009 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.9 billion euros and profit of around 1.5 billion euros. For further information please visit: http://www.siemens.com/healthcare. |
