October 18, 2000 8:30-8:45. Problem Solving with FDG Positron Emission Mammography

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Dedicated breast imaging devices utilize fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with technical specifications suitable for small breast cancer detection.
• Features include x-ray registration, high count sensitivity, and 2-3 mm spatial resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a potential clinical use of dedicated positron emission mammography devices.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these devices in identifying breast cancers that may be subtle or missed on conventional mammography.

Main Methods:

• Prospective IRB-approved clinical trials involving patients scheduled for biopsy.
• Patients received intravenous FDG injection prior to biopsy or lumpectomy.
• Positron emission mammograms were performed using a dedicated device and compared with histopathology.

Main Results:

• Identified three patients with mammographically occult or subtly abnormal findings.
• Positron emission mammograms revealed suspicious hypermetabolic activity (hot spots) in these cases.
• Subsequent histopathology confirmed cancer in all three patients.

Conclusions:

• Dedicated positron emission mammography devices may aid in detecting mammographically occult or low-suspicion breast cancers.
• The role of these devices is evolving, with potential for improving early cancer detection.
• Further research is necessary to fully define the capabilities and limitations of this imaging technique.