US-guided optical technique reduces biopsy rate
An ultrasound-guided diffuse optical technique may lower the rate at which women undergo breast biopsies for suspicious lesions, according to a study published in Radiology.
An ultrasound-guided diffuse optical technique may lower the rate at which women undergo breast biopsies for suspicious lesions, according to a study published in Radiology.
Diffuse optical tomography is a noninvasive imaging technique that measures light absorption within tissue to quantify blood content and blood oxygen levels. Once ultrasound locates the lesion, DOT is performed by shining infrared light into the area and measuring light absorption at two optical wavelengths.
In the study, 178 consecutive women underwent the technique on a previously identified solid lesion followed by a biopsy. Researchers computed total hemoglobin levels from the light absorption measured at two wavelengths and correlated the measurements with biopsy results. Tissue sample examinations revealed two in situ carcinomas, 35 carcinomas that measured <2 cm, 24 carcinomas >2 cm, and 114 benign lesions (2010;256:367-378). The sensitivity (92%) and specificity (93%) of the technique were greatest when evaluating cancers <2 cm in size.
DOT holds promise as an adjunct to diagnostic mammography and ultrasound for distinguishing early stage invasive breast cancers from benign lesions, the researchers said.
SNMMI: Can 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT Bolster Detection of PCa Recurrence in the Prostate Bed?
June 24th 2025In an ongoing prospective study of patients with biochemical recurrence of PCa and an initial negative PSMA PET/CT, preliminary findings revealed positive 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT scans in over 54 percent of the cohort, according to a recent poster presentation at the SNMMI conference.
Could an Emerging PET Tracer be a Game Changer for Detecting Hepatocellular Carcinoma?
June 23rd 2025In addition to over 90 percent sensitivity in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the glypican-3 (GPC3) targeted PET tracer 68Ga-aGPC3-scFv appeared to be advantageous in identifying HCC tumors smaller than one centimeter, according to pilot study findings presented at the SNMMI conference.
SNMMI: What a New Meta-Analysis Reveals About Radiotracers for PET/CT Detection of PCa
June 22nd 2025While (68Ga)Ga-PSMA-11 offers a pooled sensitivity rate of 92 percent for prostate cancer, (18F)-based radiotracers may offer enhanced lesion detection as well as improved imaging flexibility, according to a meta-analysis presented at the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) conference.
