MODULE 3. Further laboratory and imaging examinations related to breast cancer diagnostics
7.2. Bone scintigraphy
Bone is the most frequent site of distant metastasis (47–60%) (Coleman & Rubens 1987) from breast cancer and its early detection and diagnosis is helpful for the treatment (Chen et al. 2017).
Bone scintigraphy is a highly sensitive diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging technique that can detect significant metabolic bone changes at early stages of the metastatic disease (Van den Wyngaert et al. 2016). In the context of breast cancer it can be considered for the initial staging of patients with:
Bone scintigraphy is a highly sensitive diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging technique that can detect significant metabolic bone changes at early stages of the metastatic disease (Van den Wyngaert et al. 2016). In the context of breast cancer it can be considered for the initial staging of patients with:
- clinically positive axillary nodes, large tumours (e.g. ≥5 cm), aggressive biology
- or clinical signs, symptoms
- or laboratory values suggesting the presence of metastases (Chen et al. 2017; Senkus et al. 2015).
Recommended reading
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