Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) provider Dilon Diagnostics is touting study results that indicate molecular breast imaging (MBI) with the company's BSGI technology can achieve greater sensitivity than mammography and ultrasound.
In the first study, researchers at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, led by Dr. Jean Weigert, added MBI to the diagnostic workup of breast exams for 731 patients. At surgery, 180 cancers were found.
MBI was positive in 147 cases, for a sensitivity of 82%, compared with 130 positive mammography results (sensitivity of 72%) and 114 positive ultrasound findings (sensitivity of 63%).
The combination of mammography and ultrasound was positive in 163 cases, for a sensitivity of 90%; however, the addition of MBI resulted in positive findings for 177 malignancies, increasing sensitivity to 98%. Three cancers were missed by all three imaging modalities.
In the second study, MBI had the same sensitivity as breast MRI, with each modality detecting approximately 90% of the cancers among the patient cohort. However, MBI and MRI missed different kinds of cancers. Weigert and colleagues are investigating possible reasons for the results.
The studies were presented at last month's San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
