Molecular imaging of the breast

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), and nuclear medicine sestamibi imaging using technetium-99m me- thoxyisobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) or positron emission tomography (PET) techniques provide information beyond that of structural imaging by displaying tumor neoangiogenesis (MRI), tumor metabolites (MRS), increased numbers of tumor cellular mito-chondria (sestamibi imaging), and hypermetabolic tumor cells (FDG PET). Much needs to be learned at the molecular level of normal cellular pathways either suppressed or enhanced by tumor-specific molecular changes. These discoveries will allow realization of true individualized patient tumor detection, treatment, and surveillance