George Peters Award: How does breast-specific gamma imaging affect the management of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer?

BackgroundWe sought to determine the number of patients with known breast cancer who were found to have an additional, mammographically occult lesion detected on breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI).MethodsAn institutional review board–approved review of all patients who underwent BSGI at Beth Israel Medical Center from 2006 to 2008 was performed.ResultsA total of 82 patients underwent BSGI for newly diagnosed breast cancer. Of these, 18 had an additional abnormality, and 17 were biopsied. There were 4 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, 1 invasive lobular carcinoma, 1 ductal carcinoma in situ, 1 lobular carcinoma in situ, 2 papillomas, and 8 benign biopsies. One patient proceeded directly to mastectomy and an area of ductal carcinoma in situ was found, corresponding to the BSGI.ConclusionsIn our study group, 22% of patients had a surgical change in management based on BSGI findings. BSGI detected additional carcinoma in 9%. BSGI plays an important role in the clinical management of patients with known breast cancer.