A new imaging approach has demonstrated high sensitivity for detecting breast cancer while significantly reducing the chance of false positives, experts detailed Friday.
Low-dose positron emission mammography is a molecular imaging technique that also can reduce radiation exposure while not requiring breast compression. University of Toronto scientists recently tested this technology on 25 women, with two breast radiologists reviewing images one and four hours after injection of a radiotracer (fluorine 18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose).
Positron emission mammography pinpointed 96% of invasive cancers, with a false positive rate of 16% (vs. 62% for breast MRI), according to a pilot study published in Radiology: Imaging Cancer [1]. Along with such benefits, PEM also could help cut costs by reducing follow-up testing, particularly for those with dense breasts, researchers contend.
“The integration of these features—high sensitivity, lower false-positive rates, cost-efficiency, acceptable radiation levels without compression, and independence from breast density—positions this emerging imaging modality as a potential groundbreaking advancement in the early detection of breast cancer,” study lead author Vivianne Freitas, MD, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said in a Feb. 9 announcement from RSNA. “As such, it holds the promise of transforming breast cancer diagnostics and screening in the near future, complementing or even improving current imaging methods, marking a significant step forward in breast cancer care.”
Freitas sees myriad other benefits from the technology, such as offering an alternative option for women who are claustrophobic or have contraindications for MRI. PEM also could aid in evaluating the response to chemotherapy and assess the extent of disease in newly diagnosed cases.
The results are only preliminary, but Freitas and her team hope they will eventually lead to real-world use.
"This marks a critical first step in its potential future implementation in clinical practice,” she said in the announcement.
Read more at the links below, including a corresponding editorial [2].
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.