One of the most amazing things about the 20th and 21st centuries is that technology lets us see inside the human body.

For millennia, if you were ill, there was no way for a person’s insides to be exposed to find out what was going on.

That’s changed, obviously, as we now have X-rays, ultrasound, and other ways to see inside the body.

But, just because we can see inside doesn’t mean every form of imaging is completely without risk.

And that’s why we spent big $$$ to be able to help women get far ahead of breast cancer.

Let us show you what this new system does and why we hope you’ll want to use it.

Good Breast Imaging Already Exists. It Also Has Limitations

Look, Dr. Lantelme and I don’t spend this kind of money on medical technology simply because something is new or interesting.

Medicine has plenty of shiny new machines.

If we’re going to make a major investment, I want to know that the technology gives us useful information, makes sense biologically, and offers something meaningful and safer for the people walking through our doors.

That’s what got our attention with QT Breast Acoustic CT.

Breast Acoustic CT is an automated ultrasound imaging method that views the entire breast from multiple angles. Instead of using X-rays, it sends sound waves through and around breast tissue while the woman lies face-down with the breast suspended in warm water.

The “suspended in warm water” part might sound a bit weird, I know…but weird is not a reason to ignore something.

The result is a three-dimensional set of breast images without ionizing radiation, breast compression, or injected contrast.

That combination made us pay attention.

I want to make something clear before going any further: mammography exists for a reason.

Mammography uses low-dose X-rays and can identify breast abnormalities before they cause symptoms. It remains an established part of breast cancer screening. During the exam, the breast is compressed between plates so the X-ray images can be acquired, and some women find that compression uncomfortable or painful.

So this isn’t a story about throwing out an existing tool.

It’s about recognizing that no imaging technology is perfect.

Here’s an example.

Nearly half of women age 40 and older who undergo mammography have dense breast tissue. This isn’t a negative attribute, just a fact, and it creates two important issues: it is itself associated with increased breast cancer risk, and it can make a mammogram harder to interpret because dense tissue and some cancers both appear white on the image.

It’s a little like looking for a snowball in a snowstorm. Something important may be there, but the background makes it harder to see.

The National Cancer Institute notes that mammography is less sensitive in women with dense breasts. At the same time, there isn’t a standard recommendation for an ultrasound or MRI screening for every woman with dense breasts. The decision needs to be individualized.

That nuance matters to me.

And it’s why we wanted to engage a company like QT Imaging.

With their machine, we can image the breast in a way that accounts for dense breast tissue (among other nuances).

The patient lies face-down on the examination table, and the breast hangs naturally into a warm water bath. Ultrasound transducers then rotate around the breast while moving vertically to acquire information throughout the tissue.

The system uses both reflection ultrasound—the type of basic physics most people associate with conventional ultrasound and transmission ultrasound, which measures how sound travels through tissue.

The FDA documents say: “It is an automated system that performs a standardized whole-breast ultrasound scan without ionizing radiation, compression, or contrast injection.”

The software can also calculate fibroglandular tissue volume and the proportion of the breast made up of fibroglandular tissue.

What’s cool is that the collected image data can be reconstructed into images viewable from different planes.

What’s great about this technology isn’t just that it works…

But that it does so without squeezing the breast between plates…and there’s no ionizing radiation or IV contrast to deal with,

And because the acquisition is automated, the scan is standardized rather than depending entirely on someone manually moving an ultrasound probe around the breast.

Which again, makes the experience a little bit easier.

Now This is Really Cool

Obviously, I want to make sure that  the benefit of comfort is something patients can participate in, but it’s not the only thing to concern ourselves with,

The technology is designed to gather volumetric information about the breast.

Meaning we can get a more accurate image of the breast without having to reconstruct from more inaccurate models provided by mammograms.

Technical research on the QT Scanner has examined its ability to measure tissue properties and produce three-dimensional transmission and reflection ultrasound images.

A 2018 study evaluating scanner performance found good spatial resolution and measurement accuracy in laboratory phantoms and described the system as a fully automated 3D modality.

A separate study looked specifically at quantitative breast density. Researchers found that ultrasound-tomography measurements of breast density correlated strongly with both radiologist-assigned mammographic density categories and an automated mammographic density measurement.

I should point out that the authors of those QT studies were affiliated with the company developing the technology. That doesn’t invalidate the findings, but readers should know.

Independent research and continued clinical evaluation matter as newer imaging technologies move into broader use.

There’s Also an Important Limitation

This part needs to be clear.

The FDA indication for the QT Scanner says that it provides reflection- and transmission-mode ultrasound images of the breast and calculates fibroglandular tissue measurements.

It also specifically says:

The device is not intended to replace screening mammography.

So I don’t want women reading this article and thinking I’m telling them to cancel a recommended mammogram and substitute a QT scan.

That said, I also think patient preference matters.  Any decision regarding breast cancer screening should be between the patient and their doctor.

What QT gives us is another imaging option—one that can provide supplemental information without adding ionizing radiation, compression, or contrast.

For certain women, particularly when breast density, previous findings, repeated monitoring, or individual concerns come into play, that can become a worthwhile conversation.

My interest in integrative medicine has never meant rejecting conventional medicine outright.

Yes, I take issue with certain aspects of it and will fight unnecessary practices, but I want to make sure all bases are covered, and the right questions are being asked.

Sometimes, conventional technology is still clearly the best tool for the job.

Sometimes newer technology gives us another useful option.

QT Imaging checked enough of those boxes that Dr. Lantelme and I decided it was worth bringing to Winston-Salem, where it can give women more information and another option to help take control of their health.

You Also Don’t Have To Be A Patient To Use It!

That was important to us too.

Robinhood Imaging is separate from our medical practice, and women do not have to be existing Robinhood Integrative Health patients to schedule an appointment.

The center is currently accepting appointments at 3283 Robinhood Road.

If you want to book an appointment, follow this link here to give us a call and set one up.

We’re excited to bring this technology to the Triad, and we believe it’s an improvement on what’s currently out there without giving up anything.