(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- International researchers nail down a viable method
of pinpointing breast cancer metastases: using whole body magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI). A new study says the method is highly accurate, and can detect
bone metastases even before a patient starts experiencing any symptoms.
Whole body MRI is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and
treat breast cancer, which commonly spreads to the bones, lungs, liver -- or
brain.
The study itself was performed at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and Research
Center in Pune, India, and presented at the ARRS Annual Meeting in San Diego,
Calif. The study included 99 patients with known breast cancer who were
evaluated for metastases using whole body MRI.
"Of the 99 patients, MRI accurately revealed that 47 patients were positive for
metastases while 52 were negative," lead study author Joshita Singh, M.D., was
quoted a saying. Researchers implore breast cancer patients to use whole body
MRI as their primary imaging modality.
Source: The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), May 2010
