December 10, 2008 – The Medipattern Corp. said the China Primary Health Care Foundation (CPHCF) has purchased 200 B-CAD systems as part of a pilot breast-screening program for rural China.
The CPHCF is purchasing equipment for rural hospitals, including B-CAD, as part of their large-scale trial to finalize breast-screening protocol prior to launching their national screening program. Delivery and installation of the first 50 B-CAD software systems will occur during the first quarter of 2009, with subsequent scheduled deliveries in 36 unit increments throughout the first half of 2009. Medipattern will receive a portion of the value of the contract in the form of a down payment, followed by further payments totaling 90 percent of the value of the shipments upon receipt of the software in China. Additional financial and operational details of the transaction were not disclosed due to competitive reasons.
“Breast density has been a limiting factor in being able to perform screening in the People’s Republic of China. Recent studies show that breast ultrasound imaging is more effective on dense breast types than screening mammography and that B-CAD improves diagnostic accuracy of breast ultrasound imaging. It is a necessary part of every breast ultrasound exam and as such we include it with every ultrasound unit that we order for breast diagnosis and screening,” said Tang Jie, M.D., director of ultrasound for the PLA 301 in Beijing. “Breast ultrasound is a central part of our screening program in China.”
Breast cancer is a significant issue in China. The incidence of breast cancer has increased by at least 27 percent over the past decade, and 40 percent of the Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer die within five years because the cancer is already very advanced when it is diagnosed. According to the October 27, 2008 issue of the Shanghai Daily, Shanghai has the highest incidence of breast cancer in China. More than 60 in every 100,000 women in the city contract the disease, which is three times higher than the incidence in the U.S. and Canada.
June 06, 2023 
