New Possibilities For Breast Cancer Treatment On The Horizon

ScienceDaily (Jun. 19, 2008) — The first patient scans from a custom-built scanner combining positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) technologies indicate that these scans could significantly improve breast cancer imaging capabilities and lead to more targeted treatment options, according to researchers at SNM's 55th Annual Meeting. The prototype scanner is designed to help physicians determine stages of breast cancer in patients already diagnosed with the disease, rather than as a mammography screening tool.

"The use of dedicated breast PET/CT scanners could really open up new possibilities in treatment for women with breast cancer," said Ramsey Badawi, assistant professor of radiology, University of California--Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, and investigator for the study, First Human Images from a Dedicated Breast PET/CT Scanner. "Using this noninvasive technology, physicians can get much more accurate images of tumors--especially small tumors--than conventional full-body PET scans. This will enable physicians to determine the stage of the cancer and determine courses of treatment more accurately."

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