Research Spotlight: Ray Acciavatti, PhD

Research Assistant

Professor of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania

Q: What drew you to cancer research?

A: As an undergraduate student at Villanova University, I always enjoyed math and the physical sciences and was looking for a way to apply this interest to medical research. In 2006, I learned about the Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program through the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. I was introduced to x-ray physics in Dr. Andrew Maidment’s mammography research lab at Penn. The summer internship led me to apply to a Ph.D. program at Penn where my thesis focused on developing mathematical models of image quality for 3D breast imaging with tomosynthesis.

Q: What do you find to be the biggest challenge facing you thus far?

A: My biggest challenge was expanding my focus to biomedical sciences. In 2007, I enrolled in the first cohort of the HHMI-NIBIB Interfaces Program at Penn, a unique PhD program combining medical imaging coursework with the first year and a half of medical school classes. This was a challenging transition since my undergraduate focus was mainly math and physical sciences. Gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of breast cancer continues to be challenging but ultimately rewarding.

Q: Can you describe your research in laymen’s terms?

A: I work with a team of researchers developing the next generation of 3D breast imaging systems for mammography. Each team member’s expertise is unique; my focus is on applying math to designing x-ray scanning motions that offer the best image quality and visualization of the smallest possible details.

Q: In your opinion, what is the biggest breakthrough in breast cancer research to date?

A: When I started graduate school in 2007, 3D breast imaging with tomosynthesis was not FDA approved for screening. The first 3D system was FDA approved in 2011 (during my PhD thesis). I was amazed by the rapid implementation of 3D imaging, which is now widely used in screening. With 3D breast imaging, more cancers are detected early (including invasive cancers). It has also led to fewer false alarms, meaning fewer women are recalled for additional testing that ultimately finds no cancer.

Q: In your opinion, what is the biggest setback to breast cancer eradication?

A: The biggest setback from my perspective as a diagnostic imaging scientist is missing an early-stage cancer when it is most readily treatable. Some cancers are essentially invisible to x-ray imaging at screening and can only be detected with supplemental imaging such as ultrasound or MRI. Even with the latest 3D x-ray systems, imaging women with dense breasts continues to be challenging since the sensitivity of mammography is reduced in dense breasts. One of the goals of the next-generation tomosynthesis system is improving image quality in women with dense breasts beginning right from the screening exam.

Q: If you could give advice to a young woman recently diagnosed with breast cancer what would it be?

A: Being diagnosed with cancer can be scary, especially at a young age. My main advice would be to stay positive about the long-term outlook and to keep up with all the prescribed treatments and follow-up testing so that any adjustments to the treatment plan can be made as early as possible. I would also recommend reading about the latest treatments available and asking questions.

Q: How has your first year with Breast Cancer Alliance helped you achieve your goals as a scientist?

A: I am deeply grateful that Breast Cancer Alliance funded my grant “SelfSteering 3D Mammography” – the first external grant that I received after I made the transition to Research Assistant Professor at Penn. The goal is to detect suspicious areas in the image and ultimately customize the scanning motion around these areas. My Breast Cancer Alliance grant is currently allowing me to perform the modeling and retrospective clinical image analyses to support the idea of self-steering 3D mammography. The data generated from this grant will help me apply for future long-term funding, with the ultimate goal to implement this design in the next-generation tomosynthesis system.

Q: If Breast Cancer Alliance could help you in any other way besides funding, what would it be?

A: Our research lab greatly appreciates the role of breast cancer advocates and would be interested in involving advocates in our upcoming pilot study with the nextgeneration tomosynthesis system. We will be recruiting volunteers for next-generation tomosynthesis imaging as part of a separate grant. X-ray scanning motions not currently used in clinical systems will be analyzed, with the goal of improving radiologists’ ability to characterize suspicious findings as benign or malignant. This should hopefully lead to more efficient patient care and better clinical outcomes.