Use of BSGI as adjunct imaging modality for diagnosing breast cancer demonstrated

Dec 1 2009

Dr. Jessica Torrente, Assistant Professor of Radiology at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., demonstrated the integration and use of Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) in clinical practice as an adjunct imaging modality for the diagnosis of breast cancer today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"The purpose of the exhibit was to demonstrate how BSGI is used in the clinical setting including clinical indications, proper patient selection, optimal technique and contributory information for patient management," said Dr. Jessica Torrente.

The study was conducted using a Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera, a high-resolution, small field-of-view gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI, a molecular breast imaging technique. 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. BSGI is a molecular imaging technique that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover early stage cancers.

The presentation included the use of BSGI in high-risk women with normal mammogram and physical exam, in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, those with bloody nipple discharge and normal mammograms and women with equivocal findings on mammography and sonographic examination. This work examined how BSGI is integrated in the workflow of a clinical breast practice to improve the detection of breast carcinoma.