title: A review of the cost-effectiveness of Tc-99m sestamibi scintimammography in diagnosis of breast cancer in Taiwanese women with indeterminate mammographically dense breast.
abstract: In general, biopsy is the preferred management method for women with indeterminate mammographically dense breasts. In this review, we describe a decision analysis model comparing technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (Tc-99m sestamibi) scintimammography and excisional biopsy as breast cancer evaluation strategies for hypothetical cohorts of estimated 16,000-40,000 women with indeterminate mammographic probability of malignancy because of mammographically dense breasts. In cost-effectiveness analysis, quantitative decision tree sensitivity analysis was used to compare the conventional excision biopsy alone strategy (strategy A) with decision strategy for screening with Tc-99m sestamibi scintimammography before excision biopsy (strategy B) after an indeterminate mammogram. Strategy B showed a cost saving of US dollars 649,600-1,624,000 in reducing the cost of unnecessary biopsies. The total cost of strategy B showed a cost saving of US dollars 123,075-307,776 compared to strategy A. The analysis data indicate that Tc-99m sestamibi scintimammography can save the cost of unnecessary biopsies in Taiwanese women with non-diagnostic mammogram because of mammographically dense breasts.
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000191:economics*; D013624:Taiwan; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi