Recent advances in breast-specific imaging

Imaging the breast is a vital component not only for breast cancer screening, but also for diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients with breast cancer.

The author reviews recent advances and also provides her personal experience in describing the status of digital mammography, computer-aided detection, dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron-emission mammography for evaluating the breast.

Full-field digital mammography is superior to standard mammography in women under 50 years of age and in those with dense breasts. Computer-aided detection assists inexperienced mammographers and enhances detection of microcalcifications in dense breasts. Breast MRI is useful in preoperative evaluation, clarification of indeterminate mammograms, and follow-up of BRCA mutation carriers. The specificity of MRI remains problematic, however. Positron-emission mammography promises enhanced detection of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), even when not associated with microcalcifications, and should aid surgical planning.

These four significant advances in breast imaging have all improved the sensitivity of detecting breast abnormalities. Cost issues, however, may limit the widespread application of these advances.