A portion of each Volpara Scorecard™ sale will support the organization’s mission
Lynnwood, WA, May 1, 2023—Volpara Health Technologies Ltd. (ASX: VHT), a global leader in software for the early detection of cancer, is announcing an expanded sponsorship of DenseBreast-info.org (DBI) at this year’s Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) annual symposium in Maryland. Volpara will donate 5% of the profits from all sales of its Volpara Scorecard™ breast density assessment software to DBI for the next twelve months.
“Women should be told if they have dense breasts,” said JoAnn Pushkin, Co-founder and Executive Director at DBI. “Without an understanding of both the screening and risk implications of dense breasts, women cannot effectively participate in their own breast health surveillance. We are most appreciative of Volpara Health’s early and ongoing recognition of the need for, and support of, DenseBreast-info.org’s website development and educational mission.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a federal regulation requiring all women to be notified—with standard language—if they have “dense” or “not dense” breasts in the mammography results letters. All women will be told that dense tissue makes it harder to find cancer on mammography and also raises the risk of developing breast cancer.
About 25% of breast cancers are missed in women with heterogeneously dense breasts as are about 40% of cancers in women with extremely dense breasts.1 After a mammogram, other screening tests such as ultrasound, and especially MRI, find additional cancers in dense breasts. Women should discuss density and other risk factors with their radiologist or health care provider. Detecting cancers missed by mammography can improve outcomes. However, insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs for these additional screenings is a barrier for many women. To date, only sixteen states and the District of Columbia2 have laws that require insurance coverage for screening beyond mammograms for higher risk women and/or those with dense tissue.
DBI and Pushkin supported the December 2022 bi-partisan introduction of a new federal insurance bill – The Find It Early Act. The proposed legislation, which DBI continues to champion, aims to ensure all health insurance plans cover additional imaging at no cost to the patient.
“Knowledge is power and the recent FDA ruling on breast density notification is a step towards empowering women to take charge of their health. However, it’s important to remember that this is just the beginning,” said Volpara CEO Teri Thomas. “We need to continue advocating for accessible and affordable healthcare, so that no woman is left behind when it comes to following up on necessary testing. A key part of that is the Find It Early Act. Volpara supports the work of organizations that align with us in the goal of empowering women. Let’s work towards a future where every woman has the resources and support she needs to prioritize her well-being. It’s the right thing to do.”
Volpara Scorecard is artificial intelligence software for automated, volumetric breast density assessment. Research has shown that radiologists who assess breast density visually assign density categories inconsistently.3 With the new federal language of dense vs. non-dense, distinguishing a patient’s breast density between a BI-RADS® category b and c accurately and consistently will be essential. Volpara Scorecard’s objective TruDensity® algorithm is proven to reduce reader variability.
To learn more about the partnership or receive a Volpara Scorecard demo, visit Volpara at SBI at booth #307. You can also find DBI at SBI in booth #326.
References:
1. Berg WA, Seitzman RL, Pushkin J. Implementing the national dense breast reporting standard, expanding supplemental screening using current guidelines, and the proposed Find It Early Act. J Breast Imag 2023
2. https://densebreast-info.org/legislative-information/state-legislation-map/
3.
Redondo A, Comas M, Macià F, Ferrer F, Murta-Nascimento C, Maristany MT, Molins E, Sala M, Castells X. Inter- and intraradiologist variability in the BI-RADS assessment and breast density categories for screening mammograms. Br J Radiol. 2012 Nov;85(1019):1465-70. doi: 10.1259/bjr/21256379. Epub 2012 Sep 19. PMID: 22993385; PMCID: PMC3500788.
About Volpara Health (ASX: VHT)
Volpara Health makes software to save families from cancer. Healthcare providers use Volpara to better understand cancer risk, empower patients in personal care decisions, and guide recommendations about additional imaging, genetic testing, and other interventions. Our AI-powered image analysis enables radiologists to quantify breast tissue with precision and helps technologists produce mammograms with optimal image quality, positioning, compression, and dose. In an industry facing increasing staffing shortages, our software streamlines operations and provides key performance insights that support continuous quality improvement.
Volpara is the preferred partner of leading healthcare institutions around the world. Our software is used in over 2,000 facilities by more than 5,600 technologists, impacting nearly 17 million patients globally. It helps providers conduct more than three million cancer risk assessments each year and can be deployed stand-alone or fully integrated with electronic health record systems, mammography reporting systems, imaging hardware, and genetic laboratories. Volpara holds the most rigorous security certifications and numerous patents and regulatory registrations, including FDA clearance and CE marking. Since listing on the ASX in April 2016, the Company has raised A$132 million. With an office in Seattle, Volpara is based in Wellington, New Zealand.
For more information, visit www.volparahealth.com.
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Media Contact:
MaryAnne Molter
Senior Marketing Manager
Volpara Health
(414) 339-9900
maryanne.molter@volparahealth.com
Summary for social posts
Volpara Health Technologies will donate 5% of profits from Volpara Scorecard software sales to DenseBreast-info.org for 12 months. The move follows the US Food and Drug Administration’s new requirement that breast density information be included in both the patient mammography results letter and in medical report to providers. Volpara CEO Teri Thomas called for advocacy to promote accessible and affordable breast imaging, particularly for higher risk women. Volpara Scorecard is an AI software that uses an objective algorithm to accurately assess breast density. To learn more about the partnership, visit Volpara at SBI at booth #307 or find DBI at SBI in booth #326.
