ContextVision launches MAMMO PlusViewCAD breast cancer detection tool at ECR

Mar 3 2011

ContextVision (OSE:COV) is pleased to a announce that today at the ECR in Vienna, it is officially launching the first product stemming from its recently announced strategic alliance with NeuSoft Medical Technologies. The MAMMO PlusViewCAD is a treatment decision support tool that assists radiologist to more easily detect early stage breast cancers during routine mammography screenings. Early detection and treatment of breast cancers is paramount to long-term survival.

Currently it is estimated that as many as 1 in 5 cancers are overlooked by the treatment physician because the tissue abnormalities represented on the mammogram (x-ray) may be extremely subtle and thus difficult to detect. CAD (Computer Aided Decision) systems are therefore in clinical practice to help increase diagnostic accuracy. CAD systems are software specifically developed to examine the digital mammogram images of the breast and screen them for shadings and patterns (that may be indicative of cancer) but that may be extremely difficult to detect with an eye examination alone. I.e. the CAD program examines the x-ray film and highlights areas of the breast, where it detects suspicious patterns (abnormal areas of density, mass, or calcifications) and thus alerts the radiologist to areas in need for further analysis. Early studies indicate that the use of CAD support systems allowed for an increase in detection of breast cancers in asymptomatic women by up to 20 percent.

"We are very gratified to be able to announce the first tangible result from our collaboration with Neusoft, the MAMMO PlusViewCAD, said Anita Tollstadius, CEO of ContextVision. "Although CAD products are established as a decision support tool they are often very expensive, and therefore not widely used. Our new product will allow us to approach OEM customers, old and new, with a very competitive system; i.e. solid, good quality at a very competitive price. This will allow them to expand the market significantly. We will market this product initially to our customers outside the United States and expect to generate sales starting in 2012. This product is a very good strategic fit for us as it will be a very good complement to our image enhancement product for mammography. I want to thank our team at ContextVision as well as at NeuSoft to have worked hard and diligently to make this product available for sales and marketing so rapidly".

Source: ContextVision