Page 4 - ABUS-Casestudy

Dr. Alexander Henze, MD At a glance

Practice setting – OB/GYN practice (2 locations) offering breast care and oncology to
Medical Director
Frauenärzte public insured and private patients
Gesundheitszentrum Department staffing – 5 Gynecologists, 20 MFAs
Aschaffenburg Modalities – FFDM, ABUS, HHUS
Aschaffenburg, Germany Patient volume – 20,000 patients with public insurance, 2,000 private insured patients
plus 6000 screening mammography exams
Coverage / reimbursement – Out of pocket for supplemental imaging with public
insurance / private insurance reimbursed
Country guideline – Mammography Screening Program rules:
Kooperationsgemeinschaft Mammographie. S3 Leitlinie Mammakarzinom
Risk stratification – Familial risk documented and risk-adaptive solutions offered

The site
The Gynecological Health Center in Aschaffenburg, Germany is an obstetrics and gynecology “ We have found mammography
practice with two locations that provide care for public and private patients. Practice physicians, occult cancers with ABUS, which
all gynecologists, have dedicated qualifications for breast care, radiology, breast ultrasound and would have been missed with
oncology care. The medical technologists staff carry extra qualifications in radiology. In addition regular 2D Mammography.
to patient care, Dr. Henze and staff perform some 6000 screening mammograms and read
4,000 mammograms from surrounding mammography centers. Offering a wide range of breast Additionally, some of the small
diagnostics and therapies, the practice focuses on holistic care for women of all ages. cancers might be difficult
to visualize with handheld
Care pathway for patients with dense breasts ultrasound.”
In Germany, the national screening program does not officially include supplemental imaging
beyond mammography screening for women with dense breasts. However, the mammography “ One of the most relevant benefits
report does include breast density and women with breast density BI-RADS C and D are of ABUS is to see the entire
recommended for a supplemental ultrasound exam. breast tissue, especially the
coronal plane, which provides
Gynecological Health Center performs 2D mammography, automated breast ultrasound (ABUS),
and hand-held ultrasound (HHUS). Familial risk including the relation grade is documented and early patterns of architectural
risk-adaptive and personalized solutions are offered all patients. MRI is not widely available in distortions, which is a clear sign
Germany to everyone, so the Gynecological Health Center uses ABUS as first line supplemental for malignancy.”
exam for all asymptomatic women with dense breasts and familial history.

Screening Familial risk used ABUS exams
decision tree for risk-adapted On average, Gynecological Health Center
screening
performs 2 – 8 ABUS exams every day
as it is well accepted by patients and it
FFDM for screening
women 50-69 every provides additional clinical information,
2 years especially in complex and very
dense breasts.

ABUS for first line
supplemental exam
for all asymptomatic
women with dense HHUS used for symptomatic
breasts (BI-RADS women and those referred for Learn more about
C and D) and diagnostic ultrasound exam
familial history* Gesundheitszentrum
Aschaffenburg
* There is a dedicated program in Germany, which offers special care in 24 certified University hospitals for women
with familial breast and ovarian cancer (Deutsches Konsortium familiärer Brust und Eierstockkrebs)