NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 3 /PRNewswire/ — Researchers at the
Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon presented data on the
clinical use of Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), a molecular
breast imaging technique, at the American Society of Breast
Surgeons Annual meeting in Las
Vegas in April: Breast Specific Gamma Imaging Used As An
Adjunct to Mammography.  

664 patients were involved in the retrospective review where
BSGI was evaluated as part of the diagnostic work-up of patients
that had presented with abnormal mammographic or ultrasound
imaging, physical exam, significant family or personal breast
cancer history or dense breasts. Overall, the sensitivity was 85
percent with a specificity of 81 percent. The positive predictive
value (PPV) was 68 percent and the negative predictive value was 81
percent. Using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System
(BI-RADS), the PPV for BI-RADS 1-3 of 30% compares favorably with
the expected BI-RADS prediction of <2 percent malignancy rate
for this category. In the BI-RADS 4-6 group, the PPV increased
considerably to 86%.

Dr. Nathalie Johnson, Medical
Director of Cancer Services at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, and
principal investigator on the study, concluded, “BSGI is a useful
adjunct in the imaging work-up of breast patients and has a high
sensitivity and specificity. It is best used to further evaluate
unclear mammographic or ultrasound findings, as the positive
predictive value is highest in this setting. However, in high-risk
patients with BI-RADS 1-3, it will improve cancer detection
significantly.”

Overall, mammography and BSGI were both positive in 144 cancers.
BSGI was positive in 23 cancers which were negative by
mammogra

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