Molecular Breast Imaging

In molecular breast imaging -- also known as a Miraluma (pronounced mee-ra-LOO-ma) test, sestamibi (pronounced ses-ta-MI-bee), or scintimammography -- a small amount of the molecule sestamibi that has been tagged with a radioactive substance (technetium 99) is injected intravenously. Breast cancer cells tend to take up the tagged sestamibi molecule much more than normal cells. A nuclear medicine scanner then scans the breast and looks for any areas where the radioactive substance is concentrated, suggesting breast cancer.

Some doctors feel molecular breast imaging isn't good for detecting small, early breast cancers.

Molecular breast imaging is being studied to see whether it is as accurate and more cost-effective than breast MRI.

Molecular breast imaging complements mammography and is unlikely to replace it.