Advances in diagnosis and treatment.

"The key to breast cancer cure is early detection, and radiology's capabilities are impressive," explains Wende Logan-Young, clinical associate professor of diagnostic radiology, University of Rochester (N.Y.), one of the pioneers of breast screening in the 1970s. While mammograms have been accepted as valuable screening tools to detect early cancers, the American Cancer Society estimates that fewer than one-third of all women over age 40 receive annual screening mammograms. The reasons for women avoiding the procedure are diverse, ranging from denial to fear of the unknown to "I'm just too busy." What many don't know is that major improvements in mammography, use of ultrasound to analyze suspicious lumps, and radiology-aided biopsy are making diagnosis more accurate while reducing cost and inconvenience to the patient. Meanwhile, radiologists and radiation oncologists predict that great advances will be made in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Among them, according to Stephen Feig, professor of radiology, Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine, are: * Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which produces an image by placing the body in a magnetic field and using radio signals to obtain responses from the body's protons, with magnetic spectroscopy to see" differences in the metabolism of cells. A cancerous tumor will display a different metabolism than the surrounding healthy cells. This could reduce unnecessarily biopsies and save money. * Digital manipulation of mammogram images, by computers, to allow radiologists to detect smaller and smaller cancers. * Encoding mammogram records on a "credit card" that a woman can carry with her if she relocates or changes doctors. Moreover, mammograms will be transmitted routinely over computer networks, to follow a patient or facilitate consultations with distant specialists.