HICKORY – Catawba Valley Health System has announced new technology that helps doctors find breast cancers earlier, when they may be more easily treated, with fewer false positives, which can be stressful for patients. The technology is the first of its kind in the Catawba County region, the next closest located in Greensboro.
Located at Catawba Valley Imaging Center (CVIC), a service of Catawba Valley Medical Center, the technology is called Profound AI and maximizes the benefits of a woman having a 3D screening mammogram. ProFound AI acts as another pair of eyes along with the radiologists reviewing 3D mammography images. The most state-of-the-art software available, it rapidly analyzes each 3D mammogram image, detecting cancers with unprecedented accuracy.
According to Lindsay Runion, director of mammography at CVIC, “Profound AI is FDA-approved and clinically proven to enhance breast cancer detection, while significantly reducing the rate of false positives and unnecessary additional testing and stress for women. This technology should provide women in our region great peace of mind that their mammograms are read with the ultimate precision and clarity.”
The ProFound AI software rapidly compares a patient’s mammography images against those it has learned from and alerts radiologists if suspicious areas may warrant a closer look. “Simply put,” Runion added, “this kind of advanced technology is used in healthcare to have mammograms read thoroughly, accurately, and in a more timely manner.”
While digital (3D) mammography has become the industry standard for screening mammograms, Profound AI offers advantages over 3D screenings alone:
8 percent average increase in sensitivity over digital screening alone
6.9 percent increase in specificity over digital screening alone
7.2 percent reduction in patient recalls.
Runion said, “As this region’s trusted radiology provider, we work diligently to ensure our radiologists have the latest tools and advancements available. You won’t find this leading-edge technology in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, or anywhere in our state west of Greensboro. There is simply no reason to drive away from Catawba County to get the very best in breast care.”