UNLABELLED: This study assessed the utility of scintimammography using a standard gamma-camera and a dedicated breast camera as an adjuvant to mammography and clinical examination. METHODS: The study population comprised 37 patients with dense breasts and a family or personal history of breast cancer. The subjects had no suggestive clinical or mammographic findings. After intravenous administration of (99m)Tc-sestamibi, the patients were imaged using a conventional gamma-camera and a dedicated breast camera that allowed breast compression during image acquisition. Images were interpreted independently by 2 reviewers. All patients with positive scintimammography findings underwent biopsy. RESULTS: Dedicated breast camera results were positive in 13.5% (5/37) of patients. Biopsy of these 5 patients yielded 3 carcinomas: an infiltrating lobular carcinoma, a ductal carcinoma in situ, and an infiltrating tubular carcinoma. These 3 carcinomas were undetectable by clinical breast examination or mammography, even on retrospective review. Only one of these, the tubular carcinoma, was readily detectable by the standard gamma-camera. CONCLUSION: Scintimammography using a dedicated breast camera may augment mammography and clinical breast examination for the subset of women who have dense breast tissue and are at high risk of breast cancer.
UNLABELLED: This study assessed the utility of scintimammography using a standard gamma-camera and a dedicated breast camera as an adjuvant to mammography and clinical examination. METHODS: The study population comprised 37 patients with dense breasts and a family or personal history of breast cancer. The subjects had no suggestive clinical or mammographic findings. After intravenous administration of (99m)Tc-sestamibi, the patients were imaged using a conventional gamma-camera and a dedicated breast camera that allowed breast compression during image acquisition. Images were interpreted independently by 2 reviewers. All patients with positive scintimammography findings underwent biopsy. RESULTS: Dedicated breast camera results were positive in 13.5% (5/37) of patients. Biopsy of these 5 patients yielded 3 carcinomas: an infiltrating lobular carcinoma, a ductal carcinoma in situ, and an infiltrating tubular carcinoma. These 3 carcinomas were undetectable by clinical breast examination or mammography, even on retrospective review. Only one of these, the tubular carcinoma, was readily detectable by the standard gamma-camera. CONCLUSION: Scintimammography using a dedicated breast camera may augment mammography and clinical breast examination for the subset of women who have dense breast tissue and are at high risk of breast cancer.
Authors: K Pinker; P Brader; G Karanikas; K El-Rabadi; W Bogner; S Gruber; M Reisegger; S Trattnig; T H Helbich Journal: Radiologe Date: 2010-11 Impact factor: 0.635
Authors: Katja Pinker; Wolfgang Bogner; Stephan Gruber; Peter Brader; Siegfried Trattnig; Georgios Karanikas; Thomas H Helbich Journal: Breast Care (Basel) Date: 2011-04-29 Impact factor: 2.860
Authors: Caryl N Brzymialkiewicz; Martin P Tornai; Randolph L McKinley; James E Bowsher Journal: IEEE Trans Med Imaging Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 10.048
Authors: R V Tadwalkar; J A Rapelyea; J Torrente; L R Rechtman; C B Teal; A P McSwain; C Donnelly; A B Kidwell; C M Coffey; R F Brem Journal: Br J Radiol Date: 2011-06-28 Impact factor: 3.039