Preferred Imaging installs Naviscan Positron Emission Mammography scanner in new Plano facility

Aug 26 2010

Preferred Imaging Centers has installed the Naviscan PEM scanner into its newest facility in Plano, TX, adding a dedicated breast imaging modality to its array of diagnostic tools.  PEM (Positron Emission Mammography) scanners are high-resolution breast PET systems that show the location as well as the metabolic phase of a lesion.  The metabolic view assists physicians in making the optimal patient care decision by providing an unprecedented ability to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, what researchers term “specificity.”

Preferred Imaging owns and operates 11 private imaging centers in North Texas.  It is committed to providing a unique patient and provider experience by adopting the latest diagnostic imaging technologies.  Their centers currently offer CT, MRI as well as imaging for pain management treatment.  With the addition of PEM, Preferred Imaging will expand its offerings for breast cancer patients. “In an effort to further serve the physicians and patients in our community, the Naviscan PEM scanner was the right choice,” said James Webb, President of Preferred Imaging Centers. “Its capabilities in the diagnosis and monitoring of breast disease are undeniable and, in this time of cost-conscious medicine, the PEM scanner should prove to provide an appropriate return on investment. We look forward to continuing our model of high quality patient care in a patient friendly and supportive environment with the Naviscan PEM scanner.”

Results from a recent presentation at the Society of Nuclear Medicine on findings from an NIH-sponsored clinical study comparing PEM with breast MRI further demonstrate PEM’s clinical appropriateness. This multi-site study (NIH Grant 5R44CA103102) of hundreds of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer shows that PEM demonstrated a six percent improvement in specificity at comparably high sensitivity, and also recommended fewer unnecessary biopsies. These results are particularly significant for women who cannot tolerate an MRI exam and require an alternate imaging tool. The study is slated for publication in the December issue of the journal Radiology.

“Naviscan is thrilled to be partnering with a group so committed to offering the highest level of diagnostic medical care.  With the addition of PEM as their first dedicated breast imaging technology, Preferred Imaging will be providing the best diagnosis by adding the newest tool in the fight against breast cancer,” said Paul J. Mirabella, Chairman and CEO, Naviscan, Inc.