Breast-specific gamma imaging demonstrates better specificity and sensitivity than mammography, ultrasound, and MRI, according to several studies presented at the RSNA meeting.
Dr. Rachel Brem, director of breast imaging and intervention at George Washington University Medical Center, and colleagues conducted a retrospective multicenter study on 26 women with biopsy-proven invasive lobular carcinoma. BSGI had the greatest sensitivity at 93%. Mammography, ultrasound, and MRI had sensitivities of 79%, 68% and 83%, respectively. BSGI also detected an additional suspicious occult lesion in 29% of women.
Dr. Leora Lanzkowsky, former medical director of the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, CA, and colleagues conducted BSGI and breast MRI on patients with complex, inconclusive mammographic and/or ultrasonic findings. The researchers examined 48 patients and found 63 abnormalities.
BSGI and MRI yielded consistent results in 37 of these areas and were inconsistent in 26. MRI was inconclusive in a greater number of benign cases: 10 versus three on BSGI. The sensitivities of BSGI and MRI were 96% and 88%, respectively, with specificities of 46% and 27%.
The gamma technique images breast cancer differently from MRI, mammography, or ultrasound. Instead of approaching breast cancer in an anatomic way, BSGI examines how breast cancer functions differently from surrounding tissue. Due to an increased rate of metabolic activity, cancerous cells in the breast absorb a greater amount of the pharmaceutical tracing agent injected into patients than does the normal surrounding tissue. In this way, BSGI can find occult lesions as small as 1 mm.
The radiation dose of BSGI is similar to that of mammography, according to Bob Moussa, president and CEO of Dilon Technologies, a manufacturer of a BSGI camera.
"Our BSGI imaging room is directly across from our reading room. We don't have any extra shielding. Patients can just leave and come into the general public. It's a very low dose of radiation," Brem said.
|
DiagnosticImaging.com. Breast-specific gamma imaging shows better sensitivity than other methods
By Rebekah Moan |
December 3, 2008
RSNA 2008 December 3
High coronary calcium scores up the risk of coronary events
December 3, 2009 Adding coronary calcium to the assessment of conventional cardiovascular risk factors leads to substantial improvement in cardiovascular risk classification of asymptomatic men and women, according to a study presented at the RSNA on Wednesday afternoon. Mammo image enhancer aims for OEMs at RSNA 2009
December 3, 2009 RSNA newbie Real-Time Tomography launched at this year’s meeting a new image processing and enhancement software library for digital mammography. Gamma imaging picks up cancer unseen by mammograms
December 3, 2008 Out of every 10 women whose mammogram or physical exam reveals potentially cancerous cells in their breasts, approximately three of them will have additional dangerous clusters the examinations missed, according to a recent study presented at the RSNA conference Wednesday. Radiologists identify new self-embedding disorder plaguing teens
December 3, 2008 A new kind of self-mutilation is creeping into the teenage population, one that involves inserting objects into the body, according to radiologist Dr. William E. Shiels, II, who presented the first study of the adolescent phenomenon at the RSNA conference Wednesday. Robotic therapy expands recovery window for stroke patients
December 3, 2008 With the help of new robotic training, victims of stroke may be able to extend the narrow six-month window to regain their mobility, according to a recent study presented at the RSNA conference Wednesday. Breast-specific gamma imaging shows better sensitivity than other methods
December 3, 2008 Breast-specific gamma imaging demonstrates better specificity and sensitivity than mammography, ultrasound, and MRI, according to several studies presented at the RSNA meeting. Studies attest to prognostic value of coronary CTA
December 3, 2008 In response to demands for evidence that cardiac CT will positively affect patient outcomes, researchers presented results at the RSNA conference Wednesday attesting to its value for identifying which intermediate risk patients are most likely to suffer future catastrophic coronary events. CT bests ultrasound for diagnosing ER patients with abdominal pain
December 3, 2008 The news was mixed for CT in the emergency department in research presented Wednesday at the RSNA meeting. CT was found to be better than ultrasound for diagnosing ER patients with abdominal pain, but radiation dose can be drastically reduced for patients suspected of appendicitis, according to authors of several studies. Single fast MR sequence for knee osteoarthritis captures imagination of MSK rads
December 3, 2008 A new 3D, fast spin-echo MR sequence at 3T could one day help musculoskeletal radiologists perform a comprehensive evaluation of articular cartilage of the knee in only five minutes, according to researchers from Wisconsin and California. Imaging utilization rises where radiology presence drops
December 3, 2008 Rates of diagnostic imaging utilization varied by more than 56% across the 10 Medicare regions of the U.S., according to a study presented Wednesday. The regions with the highest utilization had the lowest percentage of imaging services provided by radiologists. |
|
