Do you USMI?

Ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI) is highlighted in this week’s JCO as a new way to non-invasively risk stratify breast and ovarian lesions. The proof-of-concept component confirmed that results using a microbubble contrast that targets a marker of angiogenesis called the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) was concordant with KDR expression on IHC. So where’s the clinically relevant info here? USMI identified 93% and 77% of malignant breast and ovarian lesions as malignant and 67% and 78% of benign breast and ovarian lesions as benign. So adding the MI to US means adding biologic insight to what has historically offered primarily anatomic info...which could translate to fewer biopsies and better diagnostic accuracy.