[Breast-specific gamma imaging in breast cancer]

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2016:160:A9610.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is a new technique in nuclear medicine for the diagnosis of breast cancer. After intravenous injection of the radioactive substance 99mTc-sestamibi the breasts are imaged with a gamma camera. The radionuclide assimilates into intracellular mitochondria, which are present in greater numbers in breast cancer cells than in normal cells. This causes a relatively high uptake of the radionuclide in tumours. Along with mammography and ultrasound, MRI is the current gold standard in breast imaging diagnostics. However, MRI is a complex and expensive procedure and has low specificity leading to high false-positive rates. BSGI has equally high sensitivity but is more specific, cheaper and much simpler to interpret. BSGI could replace MRI as a complementary technique to show, exclude or indicate the extent of breast cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Breast / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Gamma Cameras / standards*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Mammography
  • Organ Specificity
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi

Substances

  • Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi