Risk/Benefit of Breast Examinations with new technology

 BRCA NEWSWORTHY

Radiation, Risks Are Focus of Breast Screening Studies  By: Roni Caryn Rabin 8/24/10

From The New York Times.com  follow this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/science/24breast.html

I felt this article was too good not to share. .. Basically the most important information I got out of it was: “certain nuclear-based breast imaging exams that involve injecting radioactive material into patients expose women to far higher doses of radiation than regular mammography, increasing their risk of cancer in vulnerable organs beyond the breast, like the kidneys, bladder or ovaries.”

No one really knows how much radiation is too much, but they do know that it is cumulative. Different tests have different radiation exposure levels—PLEASE DISCUSS THE RISK/BENEFITS with your doctors.

Specifically this article makes us aware that the nuclear technologies breast specific gamma imaging (B.S.G.I.) and positive emission mammography (P.E.M.) are to be used in addition to traditional mammography & ultrasound screening if a suspicious lesion is found—-NOT FOR ROUTINE SCREENING!