Radiologist Leora Lanzkowsky Study Su...( To Better Manage Suspicious Breast Le...),Health

To Better Manage Suspicious Breast Lesions Detected on Breast MRI, There is

Significant Value in Utilizing Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- A study performed by radiologist Dr. Leora Lanzkowsky, Medical Director of The Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, evaluated whether Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) may mitigate the need for biopsy after an indeterminate MRI, thereby potentially reducing the number of false positive breast biopsies, and resultant strain on the patient and health system. The study was recently presented at the National Consortium of Breast Centers Conference (NCBC).

BSGI is a molecular breast imaging technique used for the early detection of breast cancer and in the differentiation of malignant and benign tumors. It relies on advanced gamma imaging technology and mammographic positioning to optimize results. For this study, BSGI was conducted with a commercially available high-resolution gamma camera, the Dilon 6800.

The study evaluated 60 patients with 81 lesions examined by both BSGI and MRI. In this group, there were 38 lesions with indeterminate findings on MRI (BIRADS 0 or 3) with pathologic confirmation for 17 of these lesions. The resulting pathology includes one papillary carcinoma, one atypical ductal hyperplasia and 15 benign lesions. Both of the high-risk lesions were positive on BSGI along with four benign lesions. Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging was indeterminate in five lesions, but true negative in six.

From the study results Dr. Lanzkowsky concluded, "If BSGI had been used to manage this population of 17 lesions indeterminate on breast MRI, it would have correctly ruled out the need for biopsy or follow-up for six lesions (35 percent); correctly ruled in the need for intervention in two lesions (12 percent); resulted in no change in management for five lesions (29 percent) and resulted in benign biopsy for four lesions."