In addition to being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this October is the tenth anniversary of digital mammography, a technology introduced by GE Healthcare in 1999. Similar to digital photography, digital mammography replaces the film used in traditional mammography with digital files viewed and stored on computers. To commemorate the anniversary and its long-standing commitment to fighting breast cancer, GE Healthcare created a digital wall of personal stories from those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer, as well as doctors, scientists and fundraisers who are fighting the disease.

GE's Breast Cancer Emotion web site.
Speaking out: Around 30 patients, survivors, fundraisers and medical professionals from around the world are the foundation of the first phase of the interactive wall. It’s designed to become a global platform for survivors, innovators and charities to share their stories, provide additional information on technology milestones and successes and empower others impacted by breast cancer. You can learn more about their stories by visiting www.breastcanceremotion.gehealthcare.com.

Among those on the digital wall are Sylvia Soo and her personal story battling breast cancer at a young age. A flyover of Asia will take site visitors to Andra Pradesh in India, where Dr. Raghu Ram, after a successful career in the UK, returned with the mission to improve the delivery of breast cancer at home. Back in Europe, a tour of Belgium reveals a “Mammobiel” that is providing breast scans in rural areas.

GE pioneered the development of advanced breast-imaging technologies, making mammography devices since the 1960s. In 1999, GE Healthcare was the first company to introduce full-field digital mammography, having spent 13 years and more than $100 million developing the technology. Since then, it’s estimated that more than 20 million women have benefited from GE’s diagnostic imaging technologies worldwide. Through its own research as well as partnerships with other industry innovators, GE Healthcare is working to improve detection and reduce unnecessary biopsies in the future, such as by developing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system specifically designed for breast imaging; and tomosynthesis — currently under clinical investigation — which generates three-dimensional images.

* Learn more about the digital wall
* See GE’s new designs for its latest breast cancer detection technology
* Read “Picturing the benefits of digital x-rays” on GE Reports
* Learn about healthymagination
* Read “GE systems boost cancer center case capacity by 900” on GE Reports
* Read “Helping the docs at the nation’s largest free clinic” on GE Reports
* Read “GE works on better treatments for breast cancer” on GE Reports