Positron Emission Mammography and Standard Mammography in Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

• To install the breast Positron Emission Mammography system and to test and ensure its compliance with all regulatory agencies including the American College of Radiology and the Food and Drug Administration.
• To measure and compare the number of call-backs for positron emission mammography (PEM) imaging and conventional mammography.
• To measure and compare patient satisfaction for both conventional mammography and positron emission mammography in terms of comfort and pain.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo a conventional two-view mammogram and positron emission mammography (PEM). Immediately following treatment, patients complete a questionnaire on their satisfaction with the standard mammogram and the positron emission mammography.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed annually.

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Scheduled to undergo screening mammogram at one of the Boston Medical Center-affiliated primary care clinics and meets 1 of the following criteria:

• Dense breast tissue
• At high-risk for breast cancer

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Has 1 of the following racial or ethnic backgrounds based on the patient's country of birth or the mother and father's country of birth:

• Hispanic
• Haitian Creole
• African American
• Caucasian

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• None specified

Exclusion criteria

• No history of breast cancer, palpable breast mass, abnormal nipple discharge, or other focal complaints warranting diagnostic mammogram