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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Published in:

01-06-2004

FDG PET and other imaging modalities in the primary diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions

Authors: K. Scheidhauer, C. Walter, M. D. Seemann

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Special Issue 1/2004

Abstract

Mammography is the primary imaging modality for screening of breast cancer and evaluation of breast lesions (T staging). Ultrasonography is an adjunctive tool for mammographically suspicious lesions, in patients with mastopathy and as guidance for reliable histological diagnosis with percutaneous biopsy. Dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance mammography (MRM) has a high sensitivity for the detection of breast cancer, but also a high false positive diagnosis rate. In the literature, MRM is reported to have a sensitivity of 86–96%, a specificity of 64–91%, an accuracy of 79–93%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 77–92% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 75–94%. In unclarified cases, metabolic imaging using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) can be performed. In the literature, FDG PET is reported to have a sensitivity of 64–96%, a specificity of 73–100%, an accuracy of 70–97%, a PPV of 81–100% and an NPV of 52–89%. Furthermore, PET or PET/CT using FDG has an important role in the assessment of N and M staging of breast cancer, the prediction of tumour response in patients with locally advanced breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the differentiation of scar and cancer recurrence. Other functional radionuclide-based diagnostic tools, such as scintimammography with sestamibi, peptide scintigraphy or immunoscintigraphy, have a lower accuracy than FDG PET and, therefore, are appropriate only for exceptional indications.

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Title: FDG PET and other imaging modalities in the primary diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions
Authors: K. Scheidhauer
C. Walter
M. D. Seemann
Publication date: 01-06-2004
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue Special Issue 1/2004
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-004-1528-7

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FDG PET and other imaging modalities in the primary diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions

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