Kromek to develop a low dose molecular breast imaging (LDMBI) technology based on Kromek’s CZT-based SPECT detectors
Kromek announces that it has been awarded funding from the UK’s Innovation agency, Innovate UK, for a three-year programme to deliver, in partnership with one of the country’s few ‘Outstanding’ NHS Trusts, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Newcastle Hospitals), a low dose molecular breast imaging (LDMBI) technology based on Kromek’s CZT-based SPECT detectors. The project, commencing in mid-2018, is worth £1.4m.
Dr Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek, said: “This project is further evidence that CZT-based detectors are becoming a core technology in replacing legacy diagnostic products across the medical imaging sector. Our innovative SPECT detectors are capable of significantly lowering radiation doses, thereby offering cost savings for health service and, crucially, makes enhanced detection and early diagnosis of breast cancer accessible on a much wider scale. We look forward to collaborating with Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as well as our OEM partner to carry out this vital work.”
What is low dose breast imaging (LDMBI)
Due to the difficulty of a mammogram distinguishing tumours from dense breast tissue, the 50% of women with dense breast tissue could have large numbers of cancers missed, and non-cancerous features erroneously diagnosed. Molecular Breast Imaging has much higher sensitivity (a better cancer detection rate) and specificity (fewer false alarms) than mammography, particularly for dense breasts. However, it involves the patient being injected with a radioactive tracer. A more sensitive camera can do the job of finding the cancerous tissue while using a lower dose of radioactive tracer.
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