Methodist Hospital is First in Region to Offer New Tool for Early Breast Cancer Detection
Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Test Requires No Breast Compression, Results Immediate

Methodist Hospital Division of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is now offering a newtool for the early detection of breast cancer called Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI). The hospital is the first in the Delaware Valley to provide this new technology to the community, which is available through its Women’s Diagnostic Center.

Mammography remains the standard tool for annual screenings, but it is known to miss 10 to 15 percent of cancers, especially in women with dense breast tissue. Mammography technology primarily measures differences in tissue density, but because dense tissue and cancer can have similar appearance on a mammogram, it may be difficult to identify the cancer or may lead to unnecessary biopsies.

According to Lillian Stern, M.D., director of the Women’s Diagnostic Center, Methodist Hospital, and clinical assistant professor of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, BSGI operates on a cellular or molecular level and, therefore, is not affected by tissue density. “We are excited to offer this new technology to our community. Annual regular mammograms are still necessary, however BSGI helps to detect obscure cancers by using functional imaging, which means the pictures can show us if a cell is ‘behaving’ like a cancerous or normal cell. This technique, without a doubt, has the potential to save many lives.”

Breast Specific Gamma Imaging is ideal for women with a questionable abnormality on a mammogram or ultrasound, dense breasts, breast implants, scar tissue from previous breast surgery, high-risk patients and women with a strong family history of breast cancer.

Performed using a portable unit known as the Dilon 6800 Camera, BSGI tests can be done in any exam room while the patient is sitting down. A small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into the patient’s arm (the same low amount as a patient would receive in a cardiac stress test, a common procedure that has been safely utilized for over 15 years). Since cancer cells have a higher rate of metabolic activity, the tracer concentrates in these cells to a much greater degree than the patient’s normal body cells. If present, the cancer cells will appear as a dark (hot) area on the images. The test takes approximately 45 minutes, during which no breast compression is necessary. Results are available immediately for the radiologist to review.

According to the National Institutes of Health, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in women. If detected and treated early, the five-year survival rate is 96 percent (National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.).

Located in the heart of South Philadelphia, the Methodist Hospital Division of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital offers a wide variety of health-care and medical services to the community. Patients from all over the area can receive a full range of services including emergency care, cardiac care and rehabilitation therapy, expert shoulder and elbow care, diabetes treatment, women’s health specialties and more.