A Valley radiologist under investigation by the Arizona Medical Board has been sued in California for false and deceptive advertising for a breast screen test.

A joint civil suit against Dr. Craig Bittner, founder and medical director of HealthScan America, Inc., which does business in San Jose, Calif. and Scottsdale under the name of AmeriScan, was filed Oct. 23 by San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan and the Medical Board of California.

The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks to halt alleged false and deceptive advertising for MRI BreastScreen, a test to detect breast cancer and marketed as an alternative to mammography. It states that Dr. Bittner and AmeriScan have falsely touted that the test “is the absolute most accurate technology available for the early detection of breast cancer.”

Dr. Bittner also is being charged separately by the California district attorney with false advertising and unlawful business practices.

Investigation Continues Here

Dr. Bittner, who also is under investigation in Arizona, could not be reached for comment.

“The board currently has an open investigation on Dr. Bittner,” said Arizona Medical Board spokeswoman Lisa McGrane. “However, Arizona law prohibits me from commenting on any details of the case.”

Despite the allegations in California about its breast cancer detection test, AmeriScan continued to promote the test on its Web site the week of Oct. 27.

“AmeriScan’s MRI BreastScreen is demonstrated to be up to three times better at detecting cancer than regular x-ray mammography,” the Web site says. “Mammograms miss 2 out of 3 breast cancers… Breast self-exams have no proven value in early detection of breast cancer.” —