Breast-SlimView®

Our clinical decision support software for 2D and 3D mammography: Breast-SlimView®

The Breast-SlimView® suite is a medical device, a software developped for radiologists and breast specialists, as well as radiographers.

Based on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the Breast-SlimView® suite is a decision support solution for breast cancer screening and mammography image quality assessment, helping to optimize early detection and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Our suite requires no user action. It operates automatically and produces 2D or 3D (tomosynthesis) results through the radiologist’s standard mammography interface.

The use of the DICOM standard ensures an easy-to-use software interface and wide use of the data generated. There are no specific requirements for displaying Breast-SlimView® Suite data, as all imaging is produced in a standard medical data format.

Breast-SlimView Suite is installed directly into the customer’s center infrastructure, without requiring additional load or hardware.

Breast-SlimView®

Hera-MI has developed Breast-SlimView®, a patented clinical decision support system for 2D and 3D mammography. Breast-SlimView® offers an innovative and disruptive reading support where only relevant information is displayed. Radiologists will be able to free themselves from overloaded information and visualize potentially suspicious areas at a glance.

Since 2019, Breast-SlimView® has been the only medical device worldwide to feature an algorithm based on a patented process called “negativation”. This device is designed to aid in the radiological diagnosis of breast cancer.

The patent is based on the technical process of “negativation”. Our algorithm consists of the negativation of mammography exams. The algorithm automatically detects and removes all physiological elements of the breast (blood vessels, connective tissue, mammary gland, muscles, and fat) and replaces them with artificial fat.

Breast-SlimView artificial intelligence (AI) will enable radiologists to reduce the time they spend on cases deemed unproblematic and allow them to spend more time on more complicated cases. Hera-MI therefore helps radiologists refocus on their core business, where their added value lies: analyzing suspicious areas.

Hera-MI aims to leverage deep learning and image processing techniques to offer a suite of innovative technological solutions for optimizing early breast cancer detection. These solutions will improve the quality and accuracy of diagnosis while reducing the time required for radiologist interpretation.

Hera-MI’s solutions will optimize breast cancer screening program accessibility. Patients will be treated more quickly, giving them a better chance of being cured of breast cancer.

As part of a technological innovation initiative, Breast-SlimView® incorporates a range of innovative features:

• An information analysis tool for 2D and 3D mammography imaging;
• An innovative review tool for diagnosis
• A breast density evaluation based on BIRADS 5th edition
• A 3-level Risk Score analysis
• An integration of Prior examination with comparison
• A structured positioning report including:
  • Breast density evaluation
  • Negativated images
  • Risk Score for each breast
  • Pictogram projection in Ultrasound, indicating the areas to be considered for complementary examinations if needed.

Example of structured report:

Feedback – Dr. Luc Rotenberg, Radiologist, Henri Hartmann Breast Institute, Paris West Radiology Group:

CE certified; FDA (in progress)

Breast-SlimView® is a Class IIa medical device that has been CE certified by the notified body KIWA (0476). It is already marketed in Europe. Hera-MI has also initiated an approval process with the American Competent Authority (FDA) to obtain a marketing certification in the United States.

Hera-MI has an export development strategy, in the United States as well as in the Middle East.

Mammography Technical Evaluation (MTE): image quality assessment monitoring tool

Breast-SlimView Suite’s MTE tool evaluates the quality of mammographic images to generate optimal quality images from the first reading.

Compatible with 2D and 3D (tomosynthesis) mammography, MTE automatically analyzes several essential criteria such as breast compression, positioning (pectoral, nipple, inframammary fold, etc.) and, finally, overall image quality based on criteria such as technical artifacts or the presence of skin folds.

This feature of Breast-SlimView® enables better patient care while reassuring radiologists and radiographers.

Thanks to MTE, radiographers can self-assess their practice and analyze areas for improvement in order to standardize best practices.

Meanwhile radiologists can interpret higher-quality images, with objective and reproducible acquisition quality analysis, enabling them to offer better consultations to patients and make their diagnoses more reliable.

MTE technology is currently undergoing CE certification.

Hera-MI projects:

Nowadays, Hera-Mi’s research is focused on other diagnostic software solutions based on the same operating principle as Breast-SlimView®. The research is focused on cancer, such as lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer.