FAQ
- What is SoftScan?
- How does it work?
- What are the benefits of SoftScan for women affected by breast cancer?
- Will SoftScan replace mammography?
- Why should hospitals and clinics equip themselves with a SoftScan device?
- Is the SoftScan device presently available?
- Is SoftScan’s potential in treatment monitoring being addressed?
What is SoftScan?
A new optical imaging device designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of breast cancer while maintaining the patient’s well-being.
How does it work?
By measuring light propagation to provide detailed physiological information on biological tissue.
What are the benefits of SoftScan for women affected by breast cancer?
No painful compression of the breast, absence of ionizing radiation and the potential to significantly reduce anxiety, pain and suffering.
Will SoftScan replace mammography?
No. SoftScan has been designed as a complementary diagnostic tool. Thus, for now, mammography remains the principal method for screening and diagnosis.
Why should hospitals and clinics equip themselves with a SoftScan device?
To offer patients the best possible care with the hope of saving more lives. SoftScan aims to provide a higher degree of precision in diagnosis, the ability to safely monitor cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, and the ability to personalize treatment. SoftScan has the potential to reduce the need to perform biopsies, thereby saving the medical system millions of dollars in treatment costs.
Is the SoftScan device presently available?
SoftScan is currently available in Canada and Europe.
As part of its submission to the FDA that will lead to approval for sales in the U.S., ART continues to pursue enrollment for its pivotal clinical study at its Canadian and U.S. sites.
Is SoftScan’s potential in treatment monitoring being addressed?
Dr. Gregory Czarnota, Radiation Oncologist at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada, is the lead investigator of a clinical study to evaluate its effectiveness in monitoring the treatment of breast cancer, thus targeting an unmet need regarding the management of this disease. In the study, patients are being monitored with the SoftScan device to detect changes in optical parameters indicating physical and physiological changes that may accompany a response to treatment.. Preliminary results show that optical imaging using the SoftScan device can potentially detect therapeutic efficacy much earlier and at far less cost than other modalities without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation.
In addition, ART has an agreement to develop and conduct clinical research with the Stanford Breast Imaging Section of Stanford University to evaluate the effectiveness of the SoftScan device in treatment monitoring and diagnosis of breast cancer, and to extend its clinical value into the expanding field of probe development for breast cancer.