A Diagnostics & Imaging Week

Dilon Technologies (Newport News, Virginia), a manufacturer of high-resolution molecular imaging systems, said it completed an equity offering of $7.25 million placed by Taglich Brothers (New York), an investment banker focused on microcap companies.

Dilon is developing a product dubbed Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), an imaging technique enabled by Dilon's camera technology and an imaging component for breast cancer detection that it says is not found in other types of breast imaging. With the system, a patient receives a small dose of a radiopharmaceutical tracing agent absorbed by the cells of the body. And because cancer cells have a higher rate of metabolic activity, they absorb up to nine times more of the agent to reveal focal points, or "hot spots" indicating cancer.

Michael Taglich, president of Taglich Brothers, said, "Based on the spectacular clinical results that the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera has shown in detecting breast cancer, we are convinced that it should be regarded as an integral part of the standard of care for breast cancer detection and preoperative planning."

"The capital infusion provides funding for the advancement of our national sales operations and international business ventures," said Lon Slane, president of Dilon.

Dilon says that other possible applications of the compact system include treatment of the parathyroid and pediatrics, and other body parts "small enough to fit within the 6"-by-8" field of view."