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Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging

About Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI)

Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is a complementary procedure used as a "next-step" in determining whether breast cancer is present after a questionable mammogram. BSGI is able to detect early stage cancers, identify suspicious and difficult-to-read breast abnormalities, and help doctors distinguish benign from malignant tumors.

Mammography is still considered the gold standard in breast cancer detection, but there are times when diagnostic challenges occur due to the complexity of breast tissue. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to image tissue structure and density. The challenge arises not only because breast tissue types have varying degrees of density, but also because cancers are dense in nature and can appear the same as normal tissue on a mammogram. Because BSGI works more on a functional or cellular level, it provides information from another important imaging perspective: helping your doctor more accurately determine if an area of concern is cancerous or not.

BSGI is a comfortable procedure, in which the patient is seated, as you can see in our photograph of the BSGI unit. No compression of the breast is required.

Patients who undergo BSGI are first injected in the arm with a small amount of radiotracer agent. The radiotracer is absorbed by all cells in the body and, because cancerous cells have a higher rate of metabolic activity, they absorb a greater amount of the tracer and appear as "hot spots" to a gamma imaging camera. BSGI is highly sensitive in its ability to detect breast abnormalities, and most importantly is very specific in its ability to help doctors differentiate between benign and malignant tissue.

BSGI can also reliably detect very small cancers, down to 3 mm, that can sometimes be missed by a mammogram. The ease of use and speed of results are critical to those seeking peace of mind during potentially challenging examinations. Lastly, because BSGI requires no compression of the breast and can be administered to a seated patient, the examination is comfortable.

Who Benefits from BSGI

You may be one of the many patients likely to benefit from BSGI. This is especially true if you have:

• Dense breast tissue
• Suspicious areas found on a mammogram, such as calcium deposits, that can sometimes indicate the presence of malignant growth
• Lumps that can be felt but not seen with mammography or ultrasound
• Implants and breast augmentation
• Scarring from previous surgeries
• Increased risk, due to personal or family history of breast cancer

If you have a mammogram at RMI and it is found to be inconclusive, RMI may recommend followup with BSGI to your doctor.