Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasia in the female population. It is estimated that 1 out of 8 women, in their lifetime, will have to deal with it. Moreover, in Italy, 13% of the cases concerns women under 40. Currently, concrete help is offered bt SABREEN (Smart Assistant for BREast sceENing), the winner of the fourth edition of GoBeyond in the “best project for the Collectivity” category.
It’s a system designed by HTLab ( Healthcare Technology Lab), the innovative startup founded by vEyes, a non-profit company established in 2012 with the aim to design and develop technological tools for people with visual impairments, as well as innovative clinical diagnostic tools.
SABREEN allows to perform an ultrasound test trough a re-engineered probe connected to an Android smartphone. The tool is integrated with an artificial intelligence system that can to create a 3D model of the breast internal structure. The device is therefore able to find the presence of suspicious masses, reporting them to a breast care center within the SABREEN network. In this way, a specialist can inspect the material sent by the neutral net, validate it and, if necessary, report to the patient the presence of an anomaly.
All this happens respecting personal privacy, without the use of images of the patient’s nude skin. Afterwards, the breast center contacts the woman trough a notification on her smartphone, without being able to know her identity. It will be her decision to go to the structure and make an appointment.
With the use of technologies like artificial intelligence, the integration with sensor, mobile phones, broad band and 5G, the system can introduce a more efficient methodology in the prevention of breast cancer. In fact, today, it is still entrusted to self-examination and periodical controls that include a breast check with an ultrasound screening.
Breast ultrasound is a diagnostic tool to check young breasts, generally in women under 40 or in fertile age, which present a very rich glandular component, hard to be radiologically examined with a mastography. In women after 50, SABREEN doesn’t lose its efficiency and could be still used for breast screening, even if a mammography would be recommended.
On the other hand, however, it must be said that precisely this criticality, which for months has interrupted the screening program that could bring to the preventive diagnosis of cancer, and the awareness that prevention is the only really effective weapon to fight cancer - and not only breast cancer - has increased the attention level of operators and professionals towards a tool that could give an important contribution in saving a lot of lives”
