Early Diagnosis: How the New Technique Works

Mayo Clinic researchers, in USAthey developed a technology called molecular breast imaging (MBI)which when combined with 3D mammography achieves more than doubling tumor detection in women with dense breast tissue, a condition that makes it difficult to identify the breast cancer in its initial stages.

Also read: Attention women! Take advantage of breast cancer prevention days

The discovery, published in the magazine Radiologyrepresents a key advance in the fight against one of the main causes of death from cancer in women. According to the Global Cancer Observatorybreast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world and millions of new cases are diagnosed every year. In this context, early detection remains the most effective tool to increase survival rates and reduce invasive treatments.

The Mayo Clinic study included 2,978 women between 40 and 75 years old with dense breast tissue, treated in five medical centers. Each participant underwent two annual diagnostic tests: a three-dimensional mammogram (also called digital breast tomosynthesis) and molecular imaging of the breast, performed with a gamma camera that detects abnormal metabolic activity in the tissue. The results were overwhelming: radiologists were able to identify a significantly higher number of invasive cancers when both techniques were applied together.

The doctor Carrie Hruskamedical physicist in radiology and lead author of the study, explained that the objective of the research is to improve the detection capacity in cases where traditional images have limitations.

“Mammography is an important diagnostic test, which has proven to be beneficial. But we have learned that, in areas of dense breast tissue, breast cancers can be hidden until they reach an advanced size. Our research focuses on detecting the most lethal cancers, which can include rapidly growing invasive tumors. If they are detected earlier, it is likely that we can save more lives,” the specialist told EL COLOMBIANO.

Almost half of women over 40 years of age have high breast density, an anatomical characteristic that can mask malignant lesions. In these cases, the fibroglandular tissue appears white on mammography, the same color that tumors take, which complicates visual detection. MBI, on the other hand, uses small doses of a radioactive tracer that accumulates in cells with greater metabolic activity. —like cancerous ones—, allowing them to be clearly distinguished in the image.

Find out more: Breast cancer: how to detect it early and what treatments exist

The combination of both tests is currently available in about 30 centers in the United Statesincluding Mayo Clinic campuses in Rochester, Minnesota, Phoenix, Arizona, Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals in Wisconsin, and its implementation is emerging as a viable option for women seeking additional screening without resorting to more expensive or complex techniques.

“MBI is a relatively simple, low-cost and safe option for women who have breast density and are looking for a complementary diagnostic test,” added Dr. Hruska.

Now, one of the common challenges in screening programs is the increase in so-called false positives, that is, when a test suggests the presence of cancer, but subsequent studies rule it out. In this case, the researchers observed that, although in the first round of examinations 279 women were called for additional tests, the Recall rate was reduced by half in the second phaseindicating an improvement in diagnostic accuracy with continued use of the technology.

In addition to its clinical results, the team works on optimize procedure efficiency. Currently, MBI imaging takes about 40 minutes, but scientists are developing an algorithm that would reduce that time to 20 minutes or lesswithout compromising quality or resolution. This improvement would not only make the experience more comfortable for patients, but would expand the capacity of medical centers to care for a greater number of women.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that in a context where artificial intelligence and new medical technologies redefine radiological practice, molecular imaging of the breast joins a trend that combines precision, safety and accessibility, and in that sense, the experts at Mayo Clinic emphasizes that this technique is not intended to replace mammography, it is intended to complement itoffering a second look capable of revealing what conventional images might miss.

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