Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) shares hit a 52-week high yesterday on news that mammography using 3D technology significantly improved diagnostic accuracy.
HOLX shares reached their highest level since May 2011 yesterday, peaking at $23.22 apiece before closing at $22.36, up 7.0% on the day. Shares were trading at $22.39 as of about 12:50 p.m. today.
The Norwegian study, published in the journal Radiology, reviewed the results of 12,631 mammograms and found a 27% increase in detection rates for mammograms using 3D tomosynthesis technology. False-positive rates fell 15% and 25 additional invasive cancers were detected using the 3D technology, for a 40% boost.
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"The use of mammography plus tomosynthesis in a screening environment resulted in a significantly higher cancer detection rate and enabled the detection of more invasive cancers," the study’s authors concluded.
"The Oslo trial is the first large-scale prospective study to show the additional cancers found with 3D mammography in combination with 2D mammography were invasive cancers – the very type of cancers we want to detect and treat early. 3D mammography is the best breast screening technology to date in that it finds significantly more invasive cancers while also reducing false positives," Hologic president & CEO Rob Cascella said in prepared remarks.
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