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For Immediate Release

WOMEN’S DIGITAL IMAGING OF RIDGEWOOD FIRST IN NEW JERSEY TO BEGIN SCREENING WITH BREAST SPECIFIC GAMMA IMAGING (BSGI)

Studies show BSGI comparable to MRI in finding early stage cancers with fewer false positives.

(Ridgewood, NJ) March 30, 2009 - Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood (WDI) will be the first imaging center in New Jersey to begin screening selected patients with Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), also known as molecular breast imaging, beginning in May 2009. Dr. Lisa Weinstock, WDI Director, said she chose to add BSGI because it is comparable to MRI in finding early cancers but has fewer false positives and costs about one third the price of an MRI.

“The studies done on BSGI have proven overwhelmingly that this technology is a potent new weapon in our battle against breast cancer,” Dr. Weinstock said. “My practice is predominantly composed of women at high risk for breast cancer so I am very excited to offer this new modality. The earlier we can find a cancer, the better the prognosis.”

While new for detecting breast cancer, molecular imaging has been used for cardiac patients for decades. For breast screening, the patient is injected with a radioactive tracer that is absorbed by all the cells in the body. The tracing agent emits invisible gamma rays, which are detected by the Imaging camera and translated into a digital image of the breast. Abnormal cells absorb a greater amount of the tracing agent than non-cancerous cells and show up as “hot spots.” This method helps physicians more reliably differentiate cancerous from non-cancerous cells. Other modalities such as Mammography and Ultrasound image the physical structure of the breast. Like MRI, BSGI captures the cellular functioning of the breast tissue.

A study presented at the Annual National Interdisciplinary Breast Center conference in Los Vegas in March found that sensitivity, the ability to detect disease, was 90.6% for both modalities while specificity, the finding that disease is not present was 46% for BSGI and 27% for MRI.

BSGI has been shown to be more effective than MRI in detecting invasive lobular carcinoma, a type of breast cancer found in 15-20 percent of all breast cancer cases that begins in the milk-producing glands, or lobules, and then can spread to surrounding tissues. According to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Roentgenology, BSGI has a sensitivity of 93% compared to mammography, sonography and MRI with sensitivities of 79%, 68% and 83% respectively.

WDI is using an imaging camera from Dilon Technologies, Inc. located in Newport News, VA. The Dilon 6800 is a high-resolution camera that creates clear pictures of cancers as small as 3 millimeters. It can detect early stage cancers, see lesions even in dense breast tissue and provide multiple angle views. Dilon designs, manufactures and commercializes innovative medical imaging products worldwide based on cooperative research and development with the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility medical technology.

Women’s Digital Imaging is a private practice led by Dr. Lisa Weinstock, specializing in detecting and diagnosing conditions that affect women including breast cancer, gynecologic diseases and osteoporosis. WDI gives patients the accuracy of the most advanced diagnostic technology and exceptional care from compassionate, highly trained personnel. WDI minimizes the anxiety women feel by providing timely appointments, comfortable surroundings and immediate evaluation following exams. Follow up testing, when needed, is done as quickly as possible, often the same day. Should further treatment be necessary, Dr. Weinstock guides patients through the process and stays by their side providing counsel and support. WDI has over 3,000 patients since opening in 2004.

For more information about BSGI and Women’s Digital Imaging of Ridgewood, contact:

Dr. Lisa Weinstock
tel: 201/444-4484
email:lweinstock@womensdigital.com.

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