Hologic

(Booth 7113) Look for Hologic to use the RSNA conference to highlight the new products that have come under the Bedford, MA, company's wing following a spate of recent corporate acquisitions.

With the acquisition of BioLucent of Aliso Viejo, CA, and the completion of the merger with Cytyc of Marlborough, MA, Hologic has doubled in size in the past year, the company said. As part of its merger with Cytyc, Hologic will highlight its MammoSite targeted radiation therapy product, an outpatient treatment that places a radiation source inside the lumpectomy cavity to deliver radiation to the area where cancer is most likely to recur.

Hologic will feature its full-field digital mammography system, Selenia, including new features and software improvements such as the Selenia S digital mammography system, designed for screening mammography facilities or mobile environments. Selenia S uses Hologic's direct conversion detector. Also new to Selenia is a tungsten x-ray tube option, in combination with a silver filter that allows images to be acquired at a lower dose without compromising image quality.

Works-in-progress in breast imaging at this year's RSNA meeting for Hologic include breast tomosynthesis with a selenium-based detector investigational device, and an automated breast density assessment tool called Quantra. Quantra uses images from Selenia and gives the total volume of fibroglandular tissue in cubic centimeters, as well as the total breast volume.

Also on display will be software and hardware upgrades to Hologic's SecurView workstations, including SecurView DX. For film-based mammograms, SecurView DX can use R2 DigitalNow computer-aided detection (CAD) software to scan prior film-based studies. R2 DigitalNow helps mammography centers transition from film to digital, according to Hologic, and allows users to scan films for soft-copy reading, archive images for future use, and get CAD results.

Hologic will also feature MammoPad, a 2007 addition to the company's line of women's health products (via BioLucent). MammoPad is designed to reduce women's discomfort during mammography exams and ensure optimal breast positioning.

On the breast biopsy side, Hologic will showcase its upright and prone advanced biopsy products, including MultiCare Platinum and Digital StereoLoc II. It will also demonstrate Suros ATEC (Automatic Tissue Excision and Collection) breast biopsy systems, including an ATEC petite device for hard-to-reach targets.

Also new this year in Hologic's booth will be Suros Celero, a vacuum-assisted, spring-loaded core biopsy device for breast ultrasound. Celero only requires two to three insertions for these procedures, according to the company.

The company will also continue the digital mammography training and self-assessment workshop it debuted at the 2005 RSNA meeting, adding more workstations, digital CAD, and expanded teaching modules.

As for skeletal health, Hologic will display its Discovery bone densitometry system, and will demonstrate the unit with hip structure analysis algorithms from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and the use of abdominal aortic calcifications as seen in Discovery IVA scans. Hologic will also highlight a work-in-progress 3D imaging capability on Discovery, which is pending clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.