October brings breast cancer awareness to the spotlight as the importance of proper screening and early detection is emphasized. Unfortunately, one of the most common tests, aside from regular self-examinations by women, is imperfect, uncomfortable, and many have doubted the need for women to get annual mammograms since statistically, they do not offer much in early detection.

A new kind of test, called ultrasound elastography, offers a better choice and can better diagnose cancer in a suspicious mammogram. The test is able to image the tissues in the body and differentiate the stiff tissues of tumors and cancer as clearly as the difference between an egg yolk and the white.

The virtual breast was designed to help clinicians practice at reading ultrasound elastography which, depending on the skill of the reader, has a much better accuracy rate than mammograms where only a handful of suspicious readings actually lead to a breast cancer diagnosis.

The program was developed by biomedical engineer, Jingfeng Jiang, from Michigan Technological University who believes that ultrasound elastography, is the best kind of test to detect tumors and cancer in the body. Unfortunately, because it is still a new technology, not many people are adept at reading the test results.

"Ultrasound elastography could be an excellent screening tool for women who have suspicious mammograms, but only if the results are properly interpreted," the study published by Jiang reported.

Many surgeons-in-training use simulators before going into the operating room with a real patient. The virtual breast is meant to give clinicians similar practice at reading test results before putting women's lives on the line.

Data gathered from the Visible Human Project of their collection of cross section photos of female cadavers were used to create extremely detailed and accurate representations of the intricacies of the human breast. Various tissues, fatty layers, anatomical structures, milk ducts, and ligaments are virtually recreated in the computer as a "phantom" for clinicians to practice with.

Clinicians can run a virtual ultrasound elastography test on the 3D, computer-generated, virtual breast and practice reading the results safely. Currently, depending on who reads the test results, accuracy ratings range from 95 percent down to 40 percent.

But, given the proper tools to practice like the virtual breast, Jiang hopes to better the skills of clinicians and give women with suspicious lumps in their breasts better chances at a proper diagnosis than tossing up a coin. 

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