MBI addresses some of the challenges we currently face in breast cancer detection, especially for patients who are at high risk. Although mammography is the mainstay device for diagnostic evaluation of occult breast disease, the MBI system’s functional imaging and improved sensitivity provides enhanced visualization of very small lesions in women with dense breast tissue and may also help to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage when the disease is highly survivable.

MBI is a totally different concept. It’s a very advanced technology camera that utilizes two detector plates between which the breast is just gently held. So it’s not uncomfortable, not like the mammogram, where the breasts are very compressed. Most women do not complain of any discomfort at all with MBI scanning.

With molecular breast imaging, you’re looking at disease on a molecular level. MBI cannot replace anatomic imaging such as mammography, but MBI significantly complements mammography. And having both anatomic and metabolic information, greatly impacts on the clinical management. Further, the high negative predictive value of MBI is quite reassuring.