No old scourge

Recently,Cipla pharmaceutical company launched the ‘No Touch Breast Scan’ (NTBS),the first-ever painless,non-invasive and radiation-free breast scanning technique for detecting breast cancer at an early stage. Welcoming the introduction of NTBS in India,Dr Rakesh Sinha,consultant gynaecologist surgeon,BEAMS Hospital,Mumbai,said,“The No-Touch Breast scan is a painless option for women who wish to get themselves regularly screened. It is of particular use for younger women who have dense breasts and mammography is inconclusive. If a woman shows changes on the NTBS,then she is sent for further investigation which includes mammography,sonography,and so on. At BEAMS,Mumbai,of the 41 patients who have undergone the NTBS test,only one had to be referred for mammography.”

Thermal imaging was approved by the FDA several years ago for early diagnosis of breast cancer. With improvements in digital camera technology in the last few years,thermal imaging is fast gaining acceptance. Developed by UE Life Sciences Inc,the ‘No Touch Breast Scan’ is the world’s first fully computerised ‘thermal imaging technology’ with dual IR cameras which can find thermal changes at less than 0.08 degrees celsius. The NTBS,using infrared imaging,creates a sophisticated heat-map of the breast without using any radiation. Breast cancer is associated with increased formation of new blood vessels and these show up as ‘hot spots’ which could indicate a cancerous growth.

At Dr Kulkarni’s Magnolia Beauty and Clinic in Pune,the NTBS test was taken by about 165 women and only 12 of them needed further investigation. Ambike,an asymptomatic woman who has taken the NTBS test,said,“I had taken a mammography test earlier but it was quite traumatic. With this totally touch-free and quick NTBS test,I would not defer my annual check-up anymore.”