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Breast cancer specialists hope two new pieces of digital technology will improve the early detection and accurate diagnosis of breast cancer.
The digital Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) breast scanner and MRI breast biopsy system were launched at Auckland's Ascot clinic today.
The MRI breast scanner uses stronger magnets to generate around 1700 images that are both more detailed and more malleable than they have been in the past.
The clinic's managing partner and principal radiologist Dr David Rogers said: "MRI is one of the most sensitive methods for detecting breast cancer and often finds diseases that cannot be found by conventional methods."
Images generated during the MRI scan are fed into a digital imaging workstation. Using computer aided diagnosis (CAD) software, the workstation gives radiologists a range of tools to analyse scans.
The system codes the images with colours and keys, making it much easer for radiologists to get an accurate reading.
The MRI breast biopsy system is currently the only one in Australasia.
Dr Rogers said this guided system takes the guess work out of biopsies. Without this system, he said, radiologists look at an image and try to decide exactly where the lump is.
This method can result in multiple biopsies, Dr Rogers said.
However, the new system uses a small grate-like structure to plot the lump's exact coordinates and how deep the needle needs to go.
Senior breast radiologist Sally Urry says it's all about "improving cancer detection".
While Ascot Radiology is a private clinic, free breast screening for women aged 45 and 69-years-old is provided via BreastScreen Aoteroa, the national breast screening programme.
Digital mammograms are also available in some public breast clinics.
