FIRM GIVES 2ND OPINIONS ON BREAST EXAMS.

Byline: Robert Monroe Staff Writer

A Westlake Village firm with star power behind it launched a service Tuesday that lets women get a second opinion on their breast images electronically.

With Whoopi Goldberg among its spokespeople, iMammogram.com will offer, for a $75 fee, computer analysis of breast images taken by radiologists. Danna Campbell, president and chief executive Officer of iMammogram.com, hopes that the service known as CloserLook will catch some of the estimated 21 percent of breast cancer not detected by the physicians.

``It marks specific areas that might need a closer look,'' Campbell said. ``It's almost like a second look for the radiologist.''

Campbell said she hopes that insurance coverage and economy of scale will eventually drive down the price of CloserLook, though radiologists say they are already drastically under-reimbursed for the costs of the mammograms themselves. Dr. Lawrence Bassett, Iris Cantor Professor of Breast Imaging at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, said CloserLook's technology could have long-term benefits, but she harbors some skepticism.

``It has some advantage in that the computer doesn't tend to get tired,'' Bassett said. ``However, we have to understand it doesn't replace an experienced radiologist.''

CloserLook uses computer-aided detection to find potential malignancies in breast tissue. Women who want the service can request that their radiologists send their mammograms to iMammogram for analysis. The company then sends the original film and notations of possible areas of concern back to the radiologist.

Campbell said iMammogram is in the midst of setting up meetings with insurers to consider covering the service. In 1998, 175,000 new cases of breast cancer were detected in the United States.

``You can't talk to anybody who doesn't know somebody who's affected so it seems like every woman would support this,'' Campbell said.