The Dilon camera also uses nuclear imaging, but it is larger and can take pictures of an entire breast, said Cynthia Keppel, an HU physics professor and staff scientist at the Jefferson Lab. While the Dilon camera could replace or supplement standard mammograms, the smaller biopsy camera is meant to focus on tiny areas of the breast once abnormalities show up, Keppel said. DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Company and Fischer Imaging Corp., which builds tables used in needle biopsies, also have provided support. If all goes well, researchers would look for a company to license the technology and mass-produce the cameras. Conceivably, they could spread across the country within two years, Keppel said.
Doctors are optimistic, especially after tests on plastic-based models.
If all goes well, Wymer said, the camera could become part of a woman's regular diagnostic work-up and also might be helpful for other types of cancer, such as thyroid. If not, we'll know we need to try something else. If so, we've got something that could make a huge difference. You can search by name, specialty, or location. Find one now .