Early detection is essential to preventing diseases from progressing and maximizing treatment options. Today, countless lives are saved thanks to early detection through advanced imaging. According to a landmark study of eight common cancers, the ten-year survival rate is more than 90% for people whose cancer is diagnosed at stage one, compared with 5% for those whose disease is found at stage four, suggesting that early detection and diagnosis—often with the help of advanced imaging technology—is critical.
Examples
Lung Cancer: Lung cancer claims nearly 150,000 lives yearly, making it the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. A chest x-ray can detect lung tumors as small as a dime, but by the time a tumor reaches that size, lung cancer is already at a late stage, making treatment much less effective. Today, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can find tiny tumors the size of a grain of rice, which has been shown to reduce lung cancer deaths by 20 percent compared to a chest x-ray alone. That’s why the American Cancer Society estimates that low-dose lung CT for high-risk populations could save 12,000 lives a year.
Breast Cancer: According to The National Breast Cancer Foundation, 98 percent of breast cancer patients survive if detection occurs early. For some women – like those with dense breast tissue – standard mammography can miss tumors. Breast imaging innovation has led to many life-saving technologies – such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and positron emission mammography and molecular breast imaging (MBI) – that detect cancer earlier, leading to higher survival rates. Breast tomosynthesis and stereoscopic digital mammography (DM) also provide 3D images that increase diagnostic accuracy and reduce false positives.