The initial Australian experience of Technetium-99m sestamibi scintimammography: A complementary test in the management of breast cancer

Background: The adjunctive role of Tc-99 m sestamibi scintimammography in the diagnosis and management of patients with a high probability of breast cancer was assessed. Methods: A descriptive study of 16 patients with palpable masses who had a high probability of breast cancer as determined by investigations such as cytology and conventional imaging techniques were carried out. All patients were followed-up to surgery. Results: Scintimammography true positive results were found in 14 of 18 lesions detected in 16 patients. There were two false-positives, which included one lobar carcinoma in situ lesion and one complex sclerosing lesion, and one false-negative patient. Scintimammography detected abnormal radiotracer uptake in four of six patients with axillary metastases. Three patients had clinically and mammographically undetected multicentric disease detected on scintimammography which allowed appropriate modification of surgical excision. Breast cancer was detected in a patient with breast prostheses. Conclusions: Scintimammography would appear to have a useful adjunctive role to mammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The diagnosis of breast cancer may be enhanced in difficult cases and the detection of multicentricity on scintimammography may have an impact on subsequent surgical management.