Imaging case 14:

Breast Cancer - Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

During breast-conserving surgery it is common practice to perform intraoperative assessment of the resected tumor specimen to assess if the resection was successful. This is especially useful for patients diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), as the positive margin rate is higher in this population. The most frequently used techniques such as specimen radiography or frozen section assessment all have their drawbacks regarding performance and/or efficiency(1).

In this clinical case, which is part of the multi-center prospective BrIMA study (NCT04999917), we highlight how intraoperative specimen PET-CT imaging can bring more confidence into the operating room. This gives the surgeon a clear view of what was resected – and the ability to act upon this information at the point of surgery.