Molecular imaging in breast cancer: A practical point of view

Abstract

Molecular imaging, defined by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with ¹⁸F-Fluorodesoxiglucose [¹⁸F]FDG, plays a pivotal role in the clinical management of breast cancer (BS), providing essential information for accurate staging, early detection of recurrence and supporting the selection and monitoring of personalized treatment strategies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the most sensitive technique in BC detection, offers a potentially valuable support, as a partner of PET, in hybrid PET/MRI scans, especially in locoregional disease assessment or some distant metastases locations. In addition, radiomics-derived parameters and machine learning approaches can refine molecular stratification with insights into treatment and prognosis.