Breast-specific gamma imaging best for detecting two tricky cancers
Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is valuable in identifying two hard-to-detect cancers according to clinical studies presented at the annual meeting of the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC) this week.
BSGI’s physiologic approach to breast cancer detection has a higher sensitivity in detecting ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) than MRI, the researchers found. DCIS, which often manifests on mammograms as microcalcifications, can often be more extensive than indicated on a mammogram. MRI has a sensitivity of greater than 90 percent for invasive cancers, but only a sensitivity of 64 percent for DCIS, according to the study authors.
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is more likely than other types of breast cancer to be missed on a mammogram because it does not form calcifications and has no well-defined mass. BSGI’s ability to capture the cellular functioning of breast tissue makes it a more valuable tool in detecting ILC.
BSGI’s physiologic approach to breast cancer detection has a higher sensitivity in detecting ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) than MRI, the researchers found. DCIS, which often manifests on mammograms as microcalcifications, can often be more extensive than indicated on a mammogram. MRI has a sensitivity of greater than 90 percent for invasive cancers, but only a sensitivity of 64 percent for DCIS, according to the study authors.
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is more likely than other types of breast cancer to be missed on a mammogram because it does not form calcifications and has no well-defined mass. BSGI’s ability to capture the cellular functioning of breast tissue makes it a more valuable tool in detecting ILC.