Flint Radiology Practice Enhances Breast Cancer Screening Accuracy, Affordability

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 16, 2009 – Flint, Michigan -- Regional Medical Imaging (RMI), a leading Mid Michigan radiology practice, has added Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) to its set of diagnostic modalities to increase the accuracy, comfort, and affordability of breast cancer screening when a patient needs a follow-up to a mammogram.

BSGI is a complementary tool that provides the next step after a mammogram in detecting early stage cancers, identifying suspicious and difficult-to-interpret breast abnormalities, and differentiating between benign and malignant tumors.

Although mammography is a highly sensitive screening tool, which means it is very effective in detecting breast abnormalities, in some cases mammography provides low specificity -- which is the ability to determine the nature (normal vs. cancerous) of a suspicious area.

Patients who require an adjunctive procedure to mammography include high-risk women with inconclusive mammograms; women with dense breasts, scarring from a previous surgery, implants, or palpable lumps that can be felt but not seen with mammography or ultrasound; and those with known cancer to detect possible additional lesions.

"We find BSGI to be a proven and effective tool in the early detection of breast cancer when mammography is inconclusive," said Randy Hicks, M.D., of Regional Medical Imaging. "Even though mammography will remain a primary screening method, when we encounter a challenging breast case, we can count on BSGI to deliver accurate and fast results. Ultimately, we hope this addition translates into earlier detection of breast cancer, which of course increases the likelihood of successful treatment."

BSGI takes from about 45 minutes to an hour to perform. Because there is no compression of the breast and patients are seated throughout the entire procedure, it is much more comfortable than a mammogram. In addition, most insurance companies cover BSGI.  Patients can typically receive same-day evaluation and results, reducing the anxiety of waiting. For high-risk patients, the need for a six-month follow-up can also be reduced.

BSGI will also help make breast cancer screening more affordable and contribute to controlling healthcare expenses, since the procedure generally costs significantly less than other methods of follow-up after a mammogram. In another enhancement to quality and affordability of patient care, BSGI can also reduce the need for biopsies due to its superior ability to distinguish normal from cancerous tissue.

Contact:
Randy Hicks, M.D.
rhicks@rmipc.net
810-732-1919