The Next-Step after a questionable mammogram
The Breast Care Center at Visconti Imaging is
proud to be the first and only facility in the state
of Michigan to add an advanced diagnostic
capability to its suite of breast care imaging
solutions, namely the Dilon "Gammagram".
The Gammagram, also referred to as Breast
Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI), is a powerful
diagnostic tool for those challenging cases
in which it is difficult to make a fast and
accurate diagnosis.
About Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) and the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera
Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is made possible by a unique camera - the Dilon 6800
Gamma Camera. This high-resolution, small field-of-view device can detect early state
cancers (as small as 3 mm), see lesions independent of tissue density, and provide multiple
angle views for direct correlation to mammograms.
Functional, or nuclear breast imaging, was discovered when large gamma cameras were being
used for cardiac imaging. Suspicious areas were often noted in the chest wall of
women, and over time physicians began to realize the benefit of applying nuclear medicine
to breast cancer diagnosis - in its early incarnation this diagnostic procedure was called
"scintimammography".
Ongoing advances in gamma detector technology have led to the development of a functional
breast imaging procedure, Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging BSGI), which uses a detector
optimized for high-resolution breast imaging. Having evolved from scintimammography,
BSGI is also based on the enhanced uptake of Sestamibi in tumors within the breast; and
BSGI with the Dilon 6800 overcomes the limitations of early scintimammography.
When post-mammogram evaluation is indicated, BSGI as a "next-step measure" is the ideal
complement to mammography because of its high specificity and sensitivity for
sub-centimeter lesions.
Unlike the conventional gamma camera's detector, Dilon's detector can be positioned
directly against the chest wall, significantly improving spatial resolution, and rotate to
obtain all possible views. The Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera also reliably detects
sub-centimeter lesions, down to 3 mm, in the same views as mammography. Another major
benefit of the Dilon system is its compact design and mobility, allowing for same-day
evaluation and imaging at the point of care.
Radiology Indications
Using a physiological approach to breast cancer detection allows for more specific
evaluations and improved management of challenging cases. Breast-Specific Gamma
Imaging (BSGI) is a molecular study of the breast that provides physiological data not
available from any other imaging modality and can help quickly determine the nature of
suspicious lesions and, in many cases, the extent of disease.
BSGI complements mammography for patients who are difficult to diagnose, or have:
Dense breast tissue
Palpable lesions not detected by mammography or ultrasound
Multiple suspicious lesions or clusters of calcifications
Pre-biopsy evaluation of suspect areas (helps determine extent of disease)
Implants
Post-surgical or post-therapeutic mass
BSGI in the Diagnostic Protocol
Because BSGI with the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera provides high sensitivy and specificity, it
is an ideal complementary diagnostic procedure to mammography. While X-ray mammograms
image tissue densities, not cancer activity, BSGI with the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera uses
radiotracer uptake to detect cancer independent of tissue density.
Actual Images from Visconti Imaging
Additionally, BSGI - as a functional procedure - images cellular activity while both MRI and
ultrasound image tissue density. While certain types of breast tissue may interfrere
with cancer detection, functional imaging allows physicians to see the breast more clearly by
accessing a map of cellular metabolism. The specificity of BSGI has also historically
been higher than that of breast MRI.
BSGI Website Link
To learn more about Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging with the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera, visit:
www.dilon.com.
