Think Pinker

Mammograms have been used for years as a tool in diagnosing breast cancer. But according to Science Daily there’s a new kid on the block that’s showing very promising results. This new mammogram technology does an excellent job of breast cancer detection.

This new technology is called PEM or positron emission mammography and the reason why it’s so much more effective is that your hormones and your breast density do not affect its ability to diagnose breast cancer.

Dense breast tissue has been a problem in diagnosing breast cancer for a long time, but to date there has been nothing better than our current mammogram technology. Sure we’ve had MRI’s which can detect breast cancer in dense breasts but it can only be done on days 1 through 14 of a woman’s cycle or reading it becomes very difficult. MRI technology also has a reputation for throwing false negatives quite often, which can be extremely stressful to the woman who’s receiving the diagnosis of breast cancer.

PEM is likely to play a very important role in breast cancer detection because it doesn’t have the limitations of an MRI or current mammogram. In fatty breast tissue PEM had a 100% breast cancer detection. In dense breasts it was 93% and in post menopausal women it was 94%. Those are very impressive numbers. Better than anything we’ve seen so far.

This is very exciting news. The earlier the detection of breast cancer the higher the long term survival rates. To date early detection with dense breasts has been very hit and miss and for the most part miss.

When will this new technology be available? That hasn’t yet been released. It will likely be some time before the technology is available in a wide number of hospitals. It’s definitely exciting news!