Another new breast cancer test

This test sounds identical to PEM Flex but it is called BSGI or Breast Specific Gamma Imaging. I love how the article fails to mention that this is not new and that PEM Flex was out there first and is a similar technology. Just goes to show you how much weight you can put on any one news article. Seems to me it should have been mentioned. Read the article here.

In case you haven’t read my post on PEM Flex, the test is NOT without side effects from the radiation however those effects are usually short lived. They will NOT tell you there can be side effects from the radiation. However, the test seems to be very useful since a tumor will show metabolic activity and be detected. During the test, you are a radioactive hazard to the technician.

I have some new thoughts on this also however. I am wondering if a benign lesion would also show metabolic activity if there are a bunch of cells collected there. How likely is it that that lump will be detectable on tests like this and it is *always* a tumor which should be “treated”? I am not sure if shows the degree of the cancer and perhaps one that is properly walled off and being handled by the body will appear the same as one which is aggressive and infiltrating.

In any case it is WAY more accurate than mammograms. I would *not* recommend getting this test on an annual basis however because of the radiation exposure. I’m not even sure if it should be used when a lump is found because most lumps are NOT cancer and that would expose so many more women to radiation through the injection.

My current opinion if I were to find a new lump today or for the first time would be to get a cancer profile blood test done (see a couple posts back on that) and get a report about the levels of HCG and trophoblasts in your body to see if your body is in fact producing cancer cells. If you get a report showing this condition does exist, then go ahead and get the BSGI or PEM Flex test along with a Breast MRI. With that information you can decide if you should take action.

I would also recommend a thermography scan as a baseline *before* anyone gets any lumps. Then it can be very helpful *after* a lump is found to compare to the baseline thermography scan.

However, I also believe that if a woman gets an annual thermography scan, any cancer development can be caught earlier with that simple test. Way more valuable than annual mammograms and no risk.