CEM image quality unaffected by iron particles from tracers

Low-dose iron oxide tracers impact the quality of breast MR images, but not that of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), a study published February 5 in Surgical Oncology found. Researchers led by Elisabeth van Haaren from the Zuyderland Medical Centre in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands, found that even after a low-dose injection (1 ml) of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) tracer, iron remnants stay behind in the breast tissue and disturb all MR images. However, they also observed no such effect on CEM images. “CEM could be valuable alternative if additional imaging is needed in the follow-up of breast cancer,” van Haaren and colleagues wrote. SPIO tracers are used to find and retrieve sentinel lymph nodes in clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. The researchers highlighted that this method is non-inferior in performance compared to Tc99m-nanocolloid and blue dye. They added that this method is non-radioactive and thus avoids strict logistical guidelines in place for radioactive materials. Previous studies suggest that iron oxide particles that remain in breast tissue after these tracers are used disturb MR images by presenting as susceptibility artifacts. Meanwhile, other studies have demonstrated that CEM further improves full-field digital mammography to the point where it may be considered non-inferior to breast MRI. The van Haaren team studied the effect of iron particles that remain after a low-dose injection of SPIO tracers on the quality of breas...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Clinical News Subspecialties MRI Ultrasound Breast Imaging Source Type: news