There are many advantages for patients receiving the BSGI procedure:

• Avoid unnecessary biopsies
• Test right in the doctor's office
• Same-day evaluation
• Accurate results

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A number of nuclear medicine techniques have been proven to assist in diagnosing cancer. These imaging techniques are effective in the early detection of cancer and used to help distinguish malignant and benign tumors through the physiological uptake of a tracing agent.

For functional imaging, tests specific to breast imaging such as Scintimammography and Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) imaging reveal tumors in dense or surgically altered breasts, but also have limitations for optimal breast imaging. Scintimammography uses a standard gamma camera that due to its large size and distance from the breast cannot accurately detect tumors smaller than 1 cm. PET imaging is often prohibitive based on its expense and limited availability of the radiopharmaceutical used in the procedure.

One of the latest advancements in nuclear medicine procedures is Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI). This procedure exceeds its predecessor, Scintimammography, as it relies on advanced imaging technology and superior positioning to get optimal results - detecting smaller, earlier stage cancers. A high-resolution, small field-of-view gamma camera was developed and then optimized for breast imaging. BSGI also uses a small injection of radioactive material that in breast cancers are revealed as "hot spots" in the image. This is because cancerous cells have a higher rate of metabolic activity than normal cells, and absorb more of the tracing agent at a faster rate than healthy tissue. By viewing the areas of concentrated radioactive material, radiologists can identify where cells are suspiciously active. These areas indicate cancer.

BSGI is a valuable "next step" when faced with a questionable mammogram result. Often, women are told to "wait and see" for six months until a follow-up mammogram, prolonging the fear and anxiety. Alternately, unnecessary biopsies are performed that are traumatic and can leave scarring. The BSGI procedure allows for same-day results and can help evaluate the need for biopsy.

Mammography is very sensitive to finding abnormal tissue, but is not specific in diagnosing cancerous tissue (being able to determine if a suspicious area is cancerous or not). This is why there is a high rate of "false positive" findings. BSGI offers highly specific results. By pairing these two imaging techniques, physicians have a powerful advantage for strong diagnosis with more than 93% accuracy.

For diagnostic testing of the breast, ultrasound is used to further evaluate abnormalities found in mammography. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create images and recognize irregularity in the breast. It is an effective way to differentiate between cystic and solid masses in the breast, but has never been able to identify breast cancer.

Most solid masses discovered by ultrasound must be biopsied to rule out malignancy. A negative ultrasound in patients with a palpable mass (felt externally by touch) cannot be used to completely rule out cancer, as some tumors may be undetectable to ultrasound.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilizes magnetic fields to visualize the features of soft tissues with highly detailed resolution, even in cases of dense breasts or implants. During an MRI, you lie still and are moved in and out of a narrow tube as the machine creates images of your body. The images are taken of anatomical structure, just like x-ray, but are taken in multiple cross-sections to provide greater detail.

Unfortunately, there are many cases where the value of MRI for breast cancer detection is unreliable. The dependability of an MRI in diagnosing breast cancers has been reported as low as 30 to 40 percent and can lead to unnecessary biopsies. MRI can show the details of anatomy, but is limited by its inability to identify the nature of the mass it is imaging. Other kinds of imaging (functional imaging) can image what a mass is doing (i.e. metabolism) making it possible to identify a cancer based on the way the tissue "behaves."