Researchers say that positron emission tomography is more sensitive for detecting the spread of breast cancer than conventional scans.

Breast cancer can spread to the lungs, the liver, and other soft tissue. Spread is usually assessed by using a computed tomography (CT) scan, where X-rays are used to build up a three-dimensional image of body organs. But researchers at Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania now reveal that positron emission tomography (PET) scans gives better results.

In PET, a radioactive compound - in this case, a chemical related to glucose - is injected and its progress around the body monitored by the scanner. It gives images of the biochemical activity of body organs in real time. In this study, a group of 32 patients, of whom 28 had breast cancer, and the rest suspected disease, had whole body PET scans which were compared to CT scans. They also had bone scans to see if the disease had spread to the bones.

PET was more sensitive than CT at detecting the spread of cancer, the researchers say. It was also better than the bone scan at detecting spread to the bones. What is more, PET actually involves less radiation exposure for the patient. More research is needed to assess the role of PET in breast cancer, but it may one day replace conventional CT scans.

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American Roentgen Ray Society Meeting 6th May 2003