Further Testing With Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Uncovers Additional Cancer in Breast Cancer Patients, Changes Surgical Management

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A study from Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, revealed today that additional breast cancer was found in 9 percent of patients when Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) was used to complement mammography, substantially impacting surgical treatment. A total of 82 patients underwent BSGI for newly diagnosed breast cancer; of these, 18 had an additional abnormality, and 17 were biopsied. The findings were presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2009 Annual Meeting in San Diego.

BSGI, a molecular breast imaging technique, is an adjunct to mammography that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover early stage cancers. 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 normal, healthy cells and generally appear as "dark spots" on the BSGI image. The Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera is a high-resolution, compact gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI.

source: PR Newswire