The dominance of x-ray mammography in breast screening seems unlikely to change before ECR 2008, or even ECR 2018. But when it comes to clarifying a positive read or assessing the cause of symptomatic breast pain, a whole host of alternative diagnostic approaches are waiting in the wings.
Lesion's elastic component is interpreted via the classical Maxwell model. Tumor exhibits strongly elevated values of elasticity. (Provided by R. Sinkus)
"It is the future in reach," said Dr. Ralph Sinkus, a researcher at the Ecole Supérieure di Physique et de Chimie Industrielles (EPSCI) in Paris. "These are the techniques that are very near to clinical reality."
Elastography is one such approach on the brink of clinical application. The technique is based on palpating tissue to detect abnormalities as lumps. As healthy tissue becomes malignant, its viscoelastic properties change. But deep-seated tumors, or small growths, may still be missed by even the most experienced practitioner.
Elastography provides an objective way of highlighting differences in tissue elasticity, according to Sinkus. Because elasticity itself cannot be imaged, a two-step approach is required.
The tissue is first vibrated to set up a series of acoustic waves. These waves travel slowly through soft, elastic tissue and more quickly through stiffer tissue. A modality sensitive to motion, such as MRI or ultrasound, is then used to image the waves, gaining information on the tissue's elastic properties.
Invasive ductal carcinoma is clearly visible as an area of increased wavelength, indicating the lesion's altered viscoelastic properties. (Provided by R. Sinkus)
