August 16, 2007 – Confirma, developer of CADstream and leader in computer-aided detection (CAD) for breast MRI, announced that it has given an educational grant to the International Center for Postgraduate Medical Education (ICPME) to develop a new curriculum of continuing medical education for breast MRI.
The breast MRI curriculum includes two separate programs supported by the educational grant from Confirma and there are no fees for participation. The first program, ‘Decisions in Medical Imaging – Breast MRI Analysis and Interpretation with CAD,’ is a unique series of online case reviews using CAD to aid the radiologist in the analysis and interpretation of breast MRI studies. The next online session, ‘Breast MRI Analysis and Interpretation with CAD,’ will take place Aug. 22, 2007 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. EST.
The second program is a full-day course of instruction and hands-on training for radiologists and interventional radiologists, ‘Breast MR Imaging, Interpretation and Intervention.’ The first courses will be held on October 11, 2007 in Littleton, CO, at the Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows, followed by courses in Los Angeles, Jan. 17, 2008 and Dallas, Feb. 1, 2008.
While mammography and breast ultrasound are considered the ‘gold standard’ for breast cancer detection, an increasing body of research data has shown breast MRI to be an effective diagnostic and interventional tool. With the recently updated breast screening guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society and the multi-center study published in The New England Journal of Medicine documenting the efficacy of MRI in detection of contralateral cancers in patients diagnosed with breast disease, it is expected that there will be an increased demand for breast MRI. However, there are significant challenges for practices wishing to offer breast MRI studies, including the vast amount of data produced, the lack of consistent standards in interpretation and the shortage of radiologists fully trained in the procedure. In addition, while extremely sensitive, breast MRI can produce false positives, leading to unnecessary biopsies.
For more information: www.confirma.com