New Molecular Imaging Technique Uses Radioactive Tracers for Breast Cancer Detection

July 29, 2009 - Doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have developed a "molecular imaging" technique for detecting cancer in dense breast tissue using radioactive tracers.
Presenting at the APPM 51st Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., on July 28, 2009, Michael O'Connor, Ph.D., a professor of radiologic physics at Mayo, described the science behind this technique as well as the latest results from ongoing clinical trials, including one involving 1,000 women who all received the molecular imaging.

In the talk, "Molecular Imaging of the Breast," O'Connor explained how the technique has shown to be highly sensitive at detecting breast cancer. The key now is to make sure that the doses administered are as low as possible - equivalent to what you would receive in a mammogram. A study supported by the Susan G. Komen Foundation will begin enrolling 1,000 women in a few months to see how effective the technique is with low-dose formulations.

For more information: http://www.aapm.org/meetings/09AM/PRAbs.asp?mid=42&aid=11931