Evaluation of nuclear medicine tests for the diagnosis of breast carcinoma

In this paper, we evaluate nuclear medicine tests used for the diagnosis of breast carcinoma. Breast carcinoma is the most common carcinoma in women in Europe and its early diagnosis and treatment is important for the overall survival of the patients. Scintimammography technique, indications, contraindications and diagnostic procedures for the identification of the sentinel node and the axillary nodes infiltrated by tumour are described. Also, the use of the radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive thallium chloride-201, methylene diphosphonate labelled with technetium-99m, somatostatin receptors labelled with indium-111, diagnostic procedures with the PET camera, the labelled antibodies to CEA with technetium-99m and also the importance of the MRI and the US techniques are mentioned. These tests have greater diagnostic accuracy as compared to X-ray mammography, clinical examination, MRI and the US technique. Tumour markers in vitro are recommended for the follow-up of metastatic breast carcinoma. (author)