Lawson first in North America to study new biopsy method for breast cancer patients

(Source: Lawson Health Research Institute)

Researchers at the Lawson Health Research Institute have piloted a new technique that will make breast cancer biopsies easier for patients, a new study found.

Radiologists at Lawson found a new form of mammography software that combines contrast enhanced mammography (CEM) with mammography guided biopsy technology at St. Joseph’s Health Care.

According to Lawson Associate Scientist and Breast Radiologist at St. Joseph’s, Dr. Anat Kornecki, this will make the procedure more accurate and easier for patients and technicians.

Lawson is the first place in North America to offer this procedure to patients through the St. Josephs Brest Care Program.

Two other centres in Europe were the first to use this technique which has been cleared by Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Researchers say CEM is a new form of mammography that uses contrast iodine which helps radiologists see potential cancerous lesions. If a lesion is found then a biopsy can be performed.

“If a lesion is detected only by CEM we usually offer an MRI guided biopsy, but we first need to find the same lesion on an MRI,” said Kornecki.

Before this new method, technicians were only able to detect potential lesions on contrast enhanced mammography and were biopsied under MRI, which often takes longer since MRI availability is limited.

“The problem is that it is sometimes hard to find the same lesion and the MRI itself can be uncomfortable for the patient. Also, some lesions that are close to implants or chest walls cannot be reached with MRI guided biopsy,” Kornecki added.

In a study including 50 patients, researchers found 51 potentially cancerous breast lesions, leading to 46 biopsies.

The results showed 11 had breast cancer, 10 were considered high-risk lesions, and the remaining lesions were benign.

“These are very similar results that were reported through MRI-guided biopsies, which means that this new method can replace the MRI,” Kornecki explained.