POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PEM) IN THE EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPICIOUS MICROCALCIFICATIONS.

• Grant number: 13/11765-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2013
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Radiology
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Nóbrega Pereira Lima
• Grantee: Almir Galvão Vieira Bitencourt
• Host Institution: A C Camargo Cancer Center. Fundação Antonio Prudente (FAP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Imaging methods are essential for the management of patients with breast cancer, especially in the early diagnosis of non-palpable lesions. Mammography is still the best method for evaluation of microcalcifications, which is the only manifestation in about 30-50% of non-palpable breast cancers, especially in carcinomas in situ. However, most suspicious calcifications detected in the mammograms are associated with benign alterations, generating a large number of unnecessary procedures. In recent years, a specific device to obtain images of PET (Positron Emission Tomography) dedicated solely to the breasts was developed. This method, called PEM (Positron Emission Mammography), has demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for primary breast lesions, including carcinoma in situ, with sensitivity and specificity of up to 91% and 93%, respectively. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of PEM to identify breast cancer in patients with suspicious microcalcifications detected by mammography. Patients with suspicious microcalcifications on mammography and biopsy formal indication will be included and those who agree to participate by signing the consent form will be submitted to PEM on a specific device. The findings of the PEM will be compared with the findings of mammography and histopathology.