By Dr Evelyn Ho

It may have been a Friday evening, but more than 70 spent an evening listening to facts and clinical experience on digital mammography that proved to be enlightening and entertaining. GE Healthcare sponsored this event.

Dr Henri-Marcel Hoogewoud, Chairman of the Radiology Department of the Hôpital Cantonal de Fribourg (a teaching hospital) in Switzerland shared his first hand experience in the selection of a Full-field Digital Mammography (FFDM) system, as well as the practical issues in using the system. He showed how he maximised the advantages of FFDM to the fullest resulting in optimal image quality and efficiency. Stereotactic biopsy was not a difficult procedure on his FFDM system, taking only on average about 15 minutes. He spoke of his experience on the GE Senographe DS which was installed over a year ago.

Dr Hoogewoud’s greatest interest is in Interventional Radiology, although he practises General Radiology as well. However, with the advent of a screening programme in Switzerland, he has diverted some attention to mammography. Undoubtedly, what he shared will come in useful for those contemplating an upgrade to a FFDM.

The next speaker took everyone into the near future – BEYOND MAMMOGRAPHY. Philippe Lefin, Marketing Manager and Global Product Manager of GE Healthcare gave basic facts about digital mammography, the detectors used, and the concept of optimum pixel size for image quality. Pixel size was not just a direct numbers game, just as the highest MegaHz computer does not always translate to the fastest computing experience. It was the balance between noise, spatial resolution and contrast resolution that influenced pixel size selection. Productivity issues with larger data sets also had to be considered.

Mr Lefin then gave a glimpse of some technological developments and advancements. Of note was tomosynthesis where the problem of composite glandular pattern would be overcome. Contrast enhanced mammography, fusion of ultrasound with digital mammography, breast scintigraphy, sonography (volume contrast imaging) as well as personalised medicine were introduced.

Prof Dr Ng Kwan Hoong, Professor of Medical Physics, University of Malaya and Head of Medical Physics Unit, and a senior consultant in the Radiology Department in University Malaya Medical Centre wrapped up the evening with a back to basics lecture. He compared image quality and dose between FFDM and film-screen mammography including the new test tools needed in digital mammography.

Indeed, the evening was a fruitful one and all would have left for home (after the buffet dinner) reassured of the bright future for the development of breast imaging technologies that will enable better and earlier detection of breast cancer whilst ensuring minimum patient discomfort and inconvenience. At the end of the day, the patient is the one that will benefit the most from the developments.