Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, left, listens to iCAD Inc. president Stacey Stevens describe the equipment that delivers radiation treatment to breast cancer patients. Hassan visited the Nashua-based firm Tuesday to learn about the newly developed technology. (Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP)

NASHUA — U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, Democrat of New Hampshire, got a first-hand look Tuesday at new technology aimed at revolutionizing the breast-cancer screening and risk-assessment process during a visit to the Nashua headquarters of iCAD Inc., a medical technology development firm on Spit Brook Road.

The new programs, ProFound AI Risk and PowerLook Density Assessment, are designed with “improved accuracy and enhanced functionality compared to previous versions of the software, according to iCAD president Stacey Stevens.

Not only is the technology capable of maximizing early detection, it now calculates for medical professionals the patient’s level of short-term risk of developing breast cancer.

The new version of ProFound AI Risk can calculate the short-term risk assessment using 3D mammography, in addition to 2D mammography as was the case with the previous version, allowing for considerably more accurate readings, Stevens said.

She added that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the new version of PowerLook Density Assessment earlier this year.

Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP iCAD Inc. president Stacey Stevens, right, describes the firm's newly unveiled technology to U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, who visited the company's Nashua headquarters Tuesday. (Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP)

With respect to the company’s cancer treatment technology, despite the “growing body of positive clinical data” the company has collected on their radiation therapy treatment for breast cancer using the Xoft System, they learned that intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) was not included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model, which is scheduled to go into implementation in January 2022. The RO Model is intended to address payment differences and provide bundled payments to radiotherapy providers for 16 different cancer types including breast cancer. The intent of the model is to deliver high-quality, cost-effective treatment to patients.

Xoft Breast IORT allows certain early-stage breast cancer patients to complete a full course of radiation therapy, at the time of surgery, in as little as one day.

“It’s very cost-effective, and it’s had great outcomes,” Stevens said of the new technology, which she called “a real game-changer.”

“The patients who have been treated love it,” Stevens added, noting that roughly one-third of the patients qualify for IORT and could eliminate weeks of radiation treatment.

Hassan assured Stevens she will be directing members of her staff to look into the matter.

“We’re looking forward to partnering with you on this,” Hassan told Stevens.

For more on iCAD and the new technology, go to www.icadmed.com.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.