Jul 21 2008
Aurora Imaging Technology Inc. today announced that the Aurora 1.5Tesla Dedicated Breast MRI System is now available to patients in west Texas and its surrounding areas at Wellness Lubbock, a facility dedicated to women's imaging. This is the fifth installation of the Aurora System in the state of Texas, which leads the nation in the number of health care facilities providing this advanced breast imaging technology. The Aurora System is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared dedicated breast MRI system specifically designed for the detection, diagnosis and management of breast disease.
Founded by Jui-Lien Chou, M.D., the Lubbock Cancer Center and Radiation Oncology of the South Plains (ROOSP) opened Wellness Lubbock in 2001 to offer residents a comprehensive women’s imaging center. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 after receiving routine mammograms for years, Dr. Chou was determined to find a better imaging solution for her patients, and decided upon the Aurora System because of its reputable status among colleagues in the medical community.
“If I had received routine breast MRIs rather than mammograms, I would have been diagnosed earlier, and therefore would have avoided such invasive surgery and chemotherapy,” said Dr. Chou. “Ninety percent of what we do at Wellness Lubbock is breast imaging, and with the Aurora System, we will be able to diagnose and treat our patients earlier and with more accuracy. Since its recent installation at our center, the Aurora System already has provided a diagnosis for one of our patients who had received a highly suspicious, but unconfirmed mammogram.”
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in Texas, accounting for more than 14 percent of all diagnoses and 7.5 percent of all deaths. While statewide breast cancer statistics are falling, countywide statistics for Lubbock County remain stable, according to the National Cancer Institute, representing the need for more advanced medical technologies to service patients in the Lubbock, Texas area.
“Nationally and in Texas, breast cancer statistics have declined in recent years due to early detection and progress made in medical technology, like the Aurora System,” said Olivia Ho Cheng, president and chief executive officer, Aurora Imaging Technology Inc. “The continual increase of health care centers deploying the Aurora System in the state of Texas reflects the nationwide recognition of its advanced capabilities to aid in battling breast disease. We are proud to partner with Wellness Lubbock to continually expand the availability of the Aurora System to improve patient care.”
The Aurora System features an exclusive precision gradient coil design to provide a large homogeneous elliptical field of view to image both breasts, the chest wall and axillae in a single bilateral scan. The benefit of this breakthrough design is the production of outstanding images in both clarity and contrast. Unique to the Aurora System is a computer-automated and fully integrated MR-guided biopsy technology, which virtually eliminates human error and accurately determines needle placement for a seamless procedure. The Aurora System’s advancements can help detect cancers at earlier stages of development, thus directly aiding in the fight against breast disease.
The installation of the Aurora Dedicated Breast MRI System at Wellness Lubbock marks the first dedicated breast MRI in Lubbock County, and supports the most recent American Cancer Society guideline, which recommends breast MRIs for women at high risk of breast cancer.