(Press-News.org) Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, underscoring the critical need for early detection to improve survival rates and reduce treatment invasiveness. This review synthesizes advancements in imaging technologies that enhance early diagnosis, focusing on their clinical applications, limitations, and future potential.
Introduction
Breast cancer accounts for 25% of cancer cases in women, with survival rates significantly higher in developed nations due to advanced screening programs. Traditional methods like clinical exams and mammography have been cornerstone tools, yet emerging technologies now complement these approaches, particularly for high-risk populations and dense breast tissue.
Mammography: Evolution and Innovations
Mammography remains the gold standard for screening, detecting 75% of cancers before palpability. Transitioning from analog to digital systems has improved sensitivity, reduced radiation doses by 30–50%, and enabled advanced processing techniques. Key advancements include:
Tomosynthesis (3D Mammography): Reduces tissue overlap artifacts, increasing cancer detection by 30–40% and lowering recall rates. Synthesized 2D images minimize radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.
Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM): Combines iodine contrast with mammography to highlight tumor vascularization, offering MRI-like accuracy for invasive lobular carcinomas and occult lesions.
BI-RADS Classification: Standardizes reporting and risk stratification, though variability in categories like BI-RADS 3 and 4 necessitates supplementary imaging or biopsy.
Ultrasound: Complementing Mammography
Breast ultrasound excels in differentiating solid masses from cysts and is indispensable for dense breasts. Innovations include:
Automated 3D Ultrasound: Enhances reproducibility and detects mammographically occult cancers.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS): Uses microbubbles to assess vascular patterns, aiding in lesion characterization and reducing unnecessary biopsies.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
MRI boasts 94% sensitivity, particularly for high-risk patients (e.g., BRCA carriers) and dense breasts. It excels in preoperative staging, monitoring neoadjuvant therapy response, and evaluating implants. Limitations include high cost, gadolinium use, and false positives. Recent 3-Tesla systems improve spatial resolution, while abbreviated protocols reduce scan time without compromising accuracy.
Emerging Modalities
Thermography: Measures heat patterns via infrared or liquid crystal plates. Dynamic Angiothermography (DATG) identifies angiogenesis-linked thermal changes but lacks size assessment and requires validation.
Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI): Utilizes radioactive tracers for dense breasts, showing promise in detecting small tumors, though limited by availability and cost.
PET/CT: Primarily used for metastatic staging, with limited resolution for early detection.
Discussion: Screening Guidelines and Comparative Analysis
Screening protocols vary by risk profile:
Average Risk: Biennial mammography starting at 40–50 years.
High Risk: Annual MRI + mammography from age 30, particularly for BRCA carriers.
Dense Breasts: Supplemental ultrasound or tomosynthesis.
A comparison matrix (Table 4) highlights strengths and weaknesses:
Mammography: High screening utility but limited sensitivity in dense tissue.
MRI: Superior sensitivity but high cost and false positives.
Ultrasound: Radiation-free but operator-dependent.
Challenges and Future Directions
Current gaps include accessibility, radiation risks, and overdiagnosis. Promising advancements include:
AI Integration: Enhances diagnostic accuracy and reduces radiologist workload.
Noninvasive Biomarkers: Liquid biopsies combined with imaging for precision screening.
Hybrid Techniques: PET-MRI and optoacoustic imaging for comprehensive assessment.
Conclusion
Early detection through advanced imaging significantly improves breast cancer outcomes. While mammography remains foundational, integrating ultrasound, MRI, and emerging technologies tailors screening to individual risk. Future innovations must prioritize affordability, reduced radiation, and personalized protocols to bridge global disparities in breast cancer care. Regular screenings and multidisciplinary collaboration remain pivotal in combating this disease.
Full text
https://www.xiahepublishing.com/2835-3315/CSP-2024-00032
The study was recently published in the Cancer Screening and Prevention.
Cancer Screening and Prevention (CSP) publishes high-quality research and review articles related to cancer screening and prevention. It aims to provide a platform for studies that develop innovative and creative strategies and precise models for screening, early detection, and prevention of various cancers. Studies on the integration of precision cancer prevention multiomics where cancer screening, early detection and prevention regimens can precisely reflect the risk of cancer from dissected genomic and environmental parameters are particularly welcome.
Follow us on X: @xiahepublishing
Follow us on LinkedIn: Xia & He Publishing Inc.
END
Recent advancements in flexible bioelectronics have demonstrated remarkable progress in achieving seamless integration at bio-tissue-electronic interfaces. However, persistent challenges such as foreign body response (FBR) due to mechanical mismatch and signal instability under dynamic physiological conditions remain critical barriers. "By synergizing bioinspired chemical modifications with microstructural topology, we developed a self-healing bioadhesive interface that eliminates reliance on external stimuli, overcoming the physiological ...
Numbers have a funny way about them. Young math students are taught various strategies to make problem-solving easier. Comparing fractions? Find a common denominator or convert to decimals. The strategies get more complex when doing the kind of math used to describe the activities of DNA, RNA, or protein sequences.
In science, when you make a model, its parameters determine its predictions. But what do you do when different sets of parameters result in the same predictions? Call one half 2/4 or 3/6—either way, the result’s the same. In physics, such parameter sets are called gauge freedoms. They play a key role in how we understand electromagnetism and quantum mechanics. Surprisingly, ...
Carnegie Mellon University Africa announced today that the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) has signed its ninth university partner, Universidade Agostinho Neto. The network, launched in 2022, provides a vehicle for technology-focused universities in Africa to engage in deep collaboration to drive digital growth, create technology development and job growth, and shape policy change.
Afretec Network members span the entire continent and include Carnegie Mellon University Africa (Rwanda), Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), the American University in Cairo (Egypt), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal), University ...
New York, NY — (May 28, 2025) —Being exposed to lingering fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke can have health effects up to three months afterwards, well beyond the couple of days that previous studies have identified, and the exposure can occur even after the fires have ended.
These findings were reported in a new study in Epidemiology published on Wednesday, May 28, by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
This medium-term exposure to PM2.5 from ...
A survey of Oman's marine waters has revealed over 100 species of ribbon worms (Nemertea), marking the first systematic study of these marine predators in Arabian waters. The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Oregon, Moscow State University, and the University of Florida, significantly expands our knowledge of marine biodiversity in the region. Using a combination of morphological studies and DNA barcoding the researchers identified 107 ribbon worm species, 98% of which are undescribed. The research team found that 93% of the discovered species appear unique to Arabian waters. The study effectively doubles the number of genetically characterized ribbon ...
It's tempting to think that, with our fancy electric lights and indoor bedrooms, humanity has evolved beyond the natural influence of sunlight when it comes to our sleep routines.
But new research from the University of Michigan shows that our circadian rhythms are still wild at heart, tracking the seasonal changes in daylight.
"Humans really are seasonal, even though we might not want to admit that in our modern context," said study author Ruby Kim, U-M postdoctoral assistant professor of mathematics. "Day ...
Research Highlights:
An analysis of data from a national health survey conducted before the pandemic found that pizza, soup and chicken are some of the main sources of sodium (salt) intake for people in all racial and ethnic groups. The study also showed clear differences among adults based on race and ethnicity.
Asian American adults were more likely to add salt in cooking than white adults, Black adults and Mexican American adults. However, Asian Americans were the least likely group to add salt to their food at the table.
In addition, Black adults reported the highest rates of attempting to reduce salt ...
Chemists at UCL and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology have demonstrated how RNA (ribonucleic acid) might have replicated itself on early Earth – a key process in the origin of life.
Scientists believe that, in the earliest life forms, genetic material would have been carried and replicated by strands of RNA, before DNA and proteins later emerged and took over.
Yet getting strands of RNA to replicate in the lab in a simple way – i.e., that plausibly could have occurred at the outset of life – has proved challenging. RNA strands zip up into a double helix that blocks their replication. Like velcro, these are ...
The combination of Rapamycin and Trametinib extends the lifespan of mice by around 30% and works better than either of the drugs alone.
The therapy reduces chronic inflammation and delays cancer development
New mechanisms: The combination influences gene expression differently than the individual drugs, without additional side effects.
The researchers were able to show that Trametinib alone extends the lifespan of mice by 5-10%, while Rapamycin alone increases lifespan by 15-20%. Together, the drugs have a combinatorial effect that extends the life of the mice by around 30%.
The ...
Close to five million smuggled seahorses worth an estimated CAD$29 million were seized by authorities over a 10-year span, according to a new study that warns the scale of the trade is far larger than current data suggest.
Published today in Conservation Biology, the study analyzed online seizure records from 2010 to 2021 and found smuggling incidents in 62 countries, with dried seahorses, widely used in traditional medicine, most commonly intercepted at airports in passenger baggage or shipped in sea cargo.
“The nearly 300 seizures we analyzed were based only on online records and voluntary disclosures ...
