99m-Tc-tetrofosmin scintigraphy and breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
99m-Tc-tetrofosmin holds significant interest among medical oncologists because of its high positive predictive value (>90%) in pilot trials, exceeding sensitivity and specificity rates of mammography. Objective. Our objective was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of 99m-Tc-tetrofosmin whole-body scintigraphy in outpatients.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients with an abnormal mammograph (n = 22) or follow-up patients (n = 9), 7 of whom were known to have metastatic disease, were included. Tracer (550 MBq) was injected into the cubital vein. Whole-body planar and single photon emission computed tomography images of regions of interest were obtained. Histology, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to confirm scintigraphic results. Correlation between scintigraphy and CT or MRI was assessed by two independent radiologists. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates for the diagnosis of local and distant breast cancer lesions were given.


RESULTS
Of the 22 first-visit patients, 15 had breast cancer, and 7 had no evidence of any malignant disease. Of all patients examined (n = 31), 21 had distant metastases. Breast tumors were correctly diagnosed in 14/15 patients (93%), with only 1 false-negative result. Extrahepatic metastatic lesions (n = 16) were correctly diagnosed in 14 (88%) patients, whereas the method was not suitable for the diagnosis of liver metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
Tetrofosmin scintigraphy has shown very high detection rates of breast tumors and of metastatic lesions and is therefore a valuable option in breast cancer diagnosis.
Berghammer
P
P
Department of Medicine I, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
Obwegeser
R
R
Mülauer-Ertl
S
S
Karanikas
G
G
Wiltschke
C
C
Kubista
E
E
Sinzinger
H
H
Zielinski
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C078700:technetium tc-99m tetrofosmin