Molecular Breast Imaging Has Greater Sensitivity Over Mammography, Ultrasound and...

Molecular Breast Imaging Has Greater Sensitivity Over Mammography, Ultrasound
and MRI for Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

CHICAGO, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) has
been proven to be a highly sensitive imaging technique for the diagnosis of
invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), a difficult to diagnose breast cancer. BSGI
is a molecular breast imaging technique that can see lesions independent of
tissue density and discover very early stage cancers. When compared to
mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), BSGI has the
greatest sensitivity for detecting ILC, according to findings presented today
at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
"Our study compares the sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, MRI and
BSGI in the detection of ILC. We found BSGI to have the greatest sensitivity
of all four techniques," said Dr. Rachel Brem, Director of Breast Imaging and
Intervention at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington,
D.C., and Vice Chair of the Department of Radiology.
This study was a retrospective multi-center study of women with
biopsy-proven pure ILC. Patients had imaging performed with mammography and
BSGI. Ultrasound and MRI results, if performed, and pathologic tumor size were
included for analysis. The sensitivity of mammography, ultrasound, MRI and
BSGI was determined for each modality and compared. Twenty-six women, ages 46
to 82 (mean age of 62.8), with 28 biopsy proven pure ILC, mean size of 22.3mm
(2mm -90mm) were included.
BSGI had the greatest sensitivity for the detection of ILC with a
sensitivity of 93 percent. Mammography, ultrasound and MRI demonstrated
sensitivities of 79 percent, 68 percent and 83 percent, respectively.
The BSGI for the study was conducted using a Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera, a
high-resolution, small field-of-view gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI.
With BSGI, the patient receives a pharmaceutical tracing agent that is
absorbed by all the cells in the body. Due to their increased rate of
metabolic activity, cancerous cells in the breast absorb a greater amount of
the tracing agent than the normal surrounding tissue and generally appear as
"hot spots" on the BSGI image.
Dr. Brem has published many articles on breast cancer-related topics in
her areas of interest, which include new technologies for the early diagnosis
of breast cancer and BSGI.
"BSGI is an effective adjunct imaging modality for the diagnosis of breast
cancer and has a promising role in the diagnosis of ILC," said Dr. Brem.
About Dilon Technologies
Dilon Technologies Inc. is bringing innovative new medical imaging
products to market. Dilon's cornerstone product, the Dilon 6800, is a
high-resolution, small field-of-view gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI,
a molecular breast imaging procedure which images the metabolic activity of
breast lesions through radiotracer uptake. Many leading medical centers around
the country are now offering BSGI to their patients, including: Cornell
University Medical Center, New York; George Washington University Medical
Center, Washington, D.C.; and The Rose, Houston.
For more information on Dilon Technologies please visit
http://www.dilon.com.
SOURCE Dilon Technologies Inc.

Nancy F. Morter of Dilon Technologies Inc., +1-757-269-4910, ext. 302, cell,
+1-757-589-3914, nfmorter@dilon.com