Scientists from Finland, Germany, and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) have developed a new X-ray technique for the early detection of breast cancer. Current X-ray mammography fails to identify about 10 to 20% of palpable breast cancers because glandular tissues can mask cancer lesions. Better results are obtained using X-ray computed tomography (CT), but its use in breast imaging is limited by the radiation dose delivered to a radiosensitive organ such as the breast.

The new CT technique, called Analyzer-Based X-ray Imaging (ABI), allows a 3D visualization of the breast with a high spatial resolution and is extremely sensitive to alterations in the tissue. ABI-CT was used on an in vitro specimen at the ESRF, using a radiation dose similar to that

of a mammography examination. The dose corresponded to a quarter of that required for imaging the same sample with conventional CT scanner, and the spatial resolution of the ABI images was seven times better. This technique could be used in future years in hospitals.

Click here to learn more .