CONTRIBUTED BY
EAST ALABAMA HEALTH
OPELIKA —
Next week, East Alabama Health will begin offering SoftVue, the world’s first 3D whole breast ultrasound tomography system that is FDA-approved for use as a supplemental imaging exam to digital mammography for screening asymptomatic women with dense breast tissue. East Alabama Health will become only the second healthcare system in the United States to offer SoftVue, with the first one being located in Detroit, near the headquarters of Delphinus Medical Technologies — makers of SoftVue — in Novi, Michigan.
The SoftVue exam requires no compression or radiation and can be performed at the same appointment as a screening mammogram. Clinical studies have shown that the SoftVue system finds 20% more cancers in women with dense breasts compared to mammography alone.
“We’re extremely pleased to have this new breast imaging solution for women with dense breasts“ said Laura Grill, East Alabama Health president and CEO. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this new technology will allow us to better serve our patients with dense breasts. And it’s exciting for us to be only the second organization in the world to have this new technology.”
Grill added “We’re very appreciative to Mark Forchette, who is the president and CEO of the company that produces SoftVue. Because Mark received his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University, and because he is involved with Auburn in several capacities, he offered SoftVue to us at this early stage. We could not be more proud to bring this new technology to women who have dense breasts and have had trouble previously with thorough breast screenings.”
It’s estimated that 40% of women in the U.S. have dense breast tissue, and they have a four-to-six-times greater risk of developing breast cancer. Mammography alone misses about half the cancers in women with dense breasts, as dense tissue and cancer both appear white on mammogram images. SoftVue was developed to address this unmet clinical need and provides a new annual screening solution for this historically underserved population.
The SoftVue System identifies more cancers using a proprietary TriAD (Triple Acoustic Detection) technology that effectively characterizes tissue by capturing reflection, speed and direction of sound waves moving through breast tissue, unlike traditional ultrasound, which utilizes only reflection.
During the exam, the patient relaxes on her stomach with her breast submerged in a warm water bath. The breast is comfortably stabilized and centered with a disposable Sequr Breast Interface gel pad. Imaging is performed with a proprietary 360-degree ring transducer, scanning each breast from chest wall to nipple in an average of three minutes, capturing new images every two millimeters. The captured signals are then analyzed using sophisticated algorithms that provide cross-sectional slices of the entire volume of breast tissue. After both breasts have been scanned, a radiologist reviews the SoftVue images alongside the patient’s mammography images to determine if any areas need further examination.
East Alabama Health will offer SoftVue exams at its Breast Health Center, located at 900 Camp Auburn Road in Auburn. To learn more, please visit www.eastalabamahealth.org/softvue.
AU GRAD MARK FORCHETTE IS CEO OF SOFTVUE MANUFACTURER
As Grill mentioned, a large reason why East Alabama Health will be the second facility in the U.S. to offer SoftVue is because Delphinus Medical Technologies President and CEO Mark J. Forchette graduated from Auburn University and wanted to give back to the community where his college education provided the foundation for his career in health care.
“As an Auburn graduate, I am excited that this community is at the forefront of dense breast screening innovation and has an opportunity to lead a transformation in imaging that will save hundreds of thousands of lives,” Forchette said.
Forchette has more than 35 years of experience leading innovative medical device companies to transform patient care and earn market leadership positions. Prior to joining Delphinus, he served as president and CEO at OptiMedica Corp., a Silicon Valley-based ophthalmic medical device company. He led the start-up venture through development and growth, completed multiple rounds of financing and oversaw the company’s acquisition by Abbott Laboratories in 2013.
He began his career in the medical technology industry as a sales representative at Grieshaber and Company Inc., where he later became vice president of U.S. sales and marketing and led the company through its acquisition by Alcon. During his tenure at Alcon, he led the retina business unit to substantial global share growth and advanced to vice president of vitreoretinal sales and global marketing.
Forchette is a director on the Auburn University Foundation Board, serves on the Harbert College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council at Auburn University and is the creator of the idea behind the Harbert College of Business’s Tiger Cage, Top Tigers, and the Entrepreneurial Summit.
In addition to his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Auburn University, Forchette completed the Harvard Program for Management Development.
ABOUT DELPHINUS MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, Delphinus Medical Technologies Inc. is a pioneering medical imaging company that has developed SoftVue, featuring the first circular array transducer technology. The patented technology is a 3D whole breast ultrasound tomography system that delivers no radiation, requires no compression and images the entire breast with a single scan. For more information, visit www.delphinusmt.com.
ABOUT EAST ALABAMA HEALTH
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital with a 26-bed Skilled Nursing Facility, while EAMC-Lanier provides inpatient services as well as a nursing home, an acute rehab unit and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,500 employees and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.
