Adjunctive Imaging in Digital Mammography: Breast Infrared Thermography and Electrical Impedance Mammography

George Tsoukatos, BPS, R.T. (R)(ARRT)®*

^*Medical Imaging Consultant, Germantown, NY

Address correspondence to: George Tsoukatos, BPS, R.T.(R)(ARRT)^®, Radiology Support Services, PO Box 215, Germantown, NY, 12526. E-mail: radiologytechnique@gmail.com.

Disclosure Statement: The author reports having no significant financial or advisory relationships with corporate organizations related to this activity.

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in North America. The probability of developing breast cancer increases with age, and the most common risk factors associated with its development, age and gender, are not modifiable. Several well-established diagnostic tools are currently used to screen and image patients for breast cancer including physical breast examinations, mammograms, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and sonography, however, mammography has been the gold standard for breast imaging for many years. Over time, adjunctive screening tools were developed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assist with breast imaging and cancer detection, including breast infrared thermography and electrical impedance mammography (EIM). Despite being adjunctive modalities, their roles in assisting with screening and imaging patients in certain clinical situations or with specific health conditions are important ones, and it is equally important for radiologic technologists and mammographers to be knowledgeable about them both. This course will review breast anatomy, changes to the breast over time, and an overview of mammography equipment, components, terminology, and key concepts. Advantages of using adjunctive breast imaging tools for patients who need to avoid or limit their exposure to radiation will be discussed. A thorough discussion of EIM and breast infrared thermography is included, which will cover the description and technical function of both modalities, patient and scanning room preparation, patient positioning, image acquisition and review techniques, how to use both modalities along with mammography, their roles in assisting with screening and/or diagnosing patients with breast abnormalities or cancer, and the benefits and limitations of both modalities.

Author's Note: In the context of this continuing education course, references to "mammography" imply references to digital mammography (DM) as used in high-resolution dual-sided phosphor plates (computed radiography), full-field digital mammography (FFDM), or 3-dimensional (3D) digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).