Significant Increase in Lung Nodule Detection with Chest X-Ray Application

A new enhanced X-ray chest imaging application uses patent-pending machine learning and image processing algorithms to suppress the ribs and clavicles that obscure nodules that may be early-stage lung cancer.

Riverain Medical (Miamisburg, OH, USA), a developer of computer-aided detection (CAD) and advanced visualization technologies, announced the publication of a peer-reviewed study published April 14, 2011, in the journal Radiology demonstrating that radiologists using Riverain Medical's SoftView bone suppression application with chest X-rays considerably increased their detection of lung nodules validated to be primary lung cancer.

The reader study funded by Riverain Medical and conducted at Georgetown University (Washington DC, USA) was led by Matthew Freedman, MD, associate professor of oncology at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. The study consisted of 15 radiologists analyzing 368 chest X-rays. The radiologists interpreted the conventional chest X-ray to locate lung nodules and then reviewed the SoftView bone-suppressed image. The authors concluded, "radiologists using visualization software significantly increased their detection of lung cancers and benign nodules” than without this technology. In fact, 74% of the additional tumors found when reviewing the SoftView images were in difficult to view areas with 70% or greater bone and nodule overlap. As a result, using SoftView helped clinicians decide whether to suggest additional diagnostic testing including computed tomography (CT) imaging and lung biopsy.

"Finding lung cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage is the key to the survival of this disease that claimed the lives of more than 150,000 Americans in 2010 alone,” said Steve Worrell, chief technology officer of Riverain Medical. "The publication of this peer-reviewed study confirms that SoftView allows physicians to identify more early-stage lung nodules under some of the most challenging conditions when using a chest X-ray.”

Cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2010, SoftView is an innovative, patent-pending, image enhancement technology designed to increase the clarity of chest X-rays by suppressing bone. SoftView can be applied to every chest X-ray in the hospital without specialized imaging equipment, changes in imaging protocols, or additional radiation dose to the patient. Utilizing sophisticated bone suppression and image enhancement algorithms, SoftView automatically provides a soft tissue image for more effective image interpretations.

"Clinical data has shown that the early detection of lung cancer can save lives,” said Diane Hirakawa, CEO and chairman of Riverain Medical. "It is encouraging to see a growing body of scientific work demonstrating the benefits of SoftView. Riverain Medical is committed to developing technology that can change the outcomes of patients by aiding in the detection of cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.”

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