GE Healthcare has officially launched the Invenia Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) 2.0 in the United States after installing the equipment in other parts of the world since 2014. At present, the ABUS 2.0 is the only FDA-approved ultrasound breast screening modality intended for use as a supplement to mammography in women with dense breasts.

“We are committed to informing patients about breast density, and offering supplemental screening options,” Sophia Roumanis, MD, of the Beaumont Breast Care Center in Dearborn, Michigan, said in a prepared statement. “We are thrilled to add this advanced ultrasound technology to our breast cancer screening program, which allows better visibility of dense breast tissue during breast cancer screenings.”

When used as a supplement to mammography, the ABUS 2.0 can detect breast cancer by 55 percent compared to mammography alone, according to research published in 2015. The technology was designed to be efficient and provide an improved patient experience.

“Our goal is to find cancers as early as possible to offer the best potential outcome for the patient,” Vidya Pai, MD, of Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, said in the same statement. “By offering this supplemental screening to mammography for patients with dense breast tissue, we anticipate improving detection for small cancers that may not be seen on a mammogram alone in these women.”