Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40464157›Full record

ArticleNuclear medicine communications2025

The safety and clinical impact of ultra-low-dose FDG-PET imaging in pregnancy-associated breast cancer: the experience of a major tertiary oncology referral centre in the UK and suggested imaging protocol.

Karen Desouza, Petros Fessas, Emma Spurrell, Elisavet Papadimitraki, Fharat Raja, Rebecca Roylance, Diego Ottaviani, Joanna Franks, Dibendu Betal, Mahwash Babar and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nuclear medicine communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Karen DesouzaCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).ORCID 0000-0002-3831-0165
Petros FessasCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
Emma SpurrellSurgery and Cancer Integrated Clinical Service Unit, Whittington Health NHS Trust.
Elisavet PapadimitrakiCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
Fharat RajaCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
Rebecca RoylanceCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
Diego OttavianiCancer Division, Department of Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
Joanna FranksDepartment of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, Women's Health Division, UCLH.
Dibendu BetalDepartment of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, Women's Health Division, UCLH.
Mahwash BabarSurgery and Cancer Integrated Clinical Service Unit, Whittington Health NHS Trust.
Irene AthanasiouSurgery and Cancer Integrated Clinical Service Unit, Whittington Health NHS Trust.
Massimilano CariatiDepartment of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, Women's Health Division, UCLH.
Neill PataniDepartment of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, Women's Health Division, UCLH.
Sirwan HadadSurgery and Cancer Integrated Clinical Service Unit, Whittington Health NHS Trust.
Yusuf KayaniInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Darren WallsInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Catherine ScottInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Marilena RegaInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Mubarik ArshadInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Jamshed BomanjiInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.
Stefan VööInstitute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is a complex condition affecting 1 in 3000 pregnancies worldwide. While clinical management has improved, the optimal staging approach for PABC remains uncertain. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET) imaging is a standard diagnostic tool for many cancers. However, its use in PABC staging is controversial due to potential radiation risks to the foetus.

methodsThis retrospective case series analysed clinical data from six patients with high-risk PABC who underwent FDG-PET imaging for staging between 2022 and 2023. FDG-PET was based on locally implemented ultra-low-dose imaging protocols. The radiation doses to the foetus were dosimetrically estimated based on dose-per-unit activity values and correlated with postpartum neonatal outcomes.

resultsThe median foetal radiation dose was 0.975 mGy (range 0.6-1.5 mGy) and was below the threshold for deterministic toxicities. PET imaging upstaged nodal involvement in 33% of patients and influenced treatment decisions. FDG-PET imaging provided valuable staging information in all cases. No adverse foetal effects were observed.

conclusionUltra-low-dose FDG-PET imaging is a valuable tool providing accurate staging information to guide treatment decisions. The low radiation dose associated with this technique makes it a clinically acceptable modality for cancer staging in pregnant women. A larger case series is needed to precisely quantify foetal radiation doses and assess long-term safety.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsFluorodeoxyglucose F18Positron-Emission TomographyPregnancy Complications, NeoplasticRadiation DosageSafetyTertiary Care CentersAdultFemaleHumansPregnancyRetrospective StudiesUnited KingdomFluorodeoxyglucose F18breast cancerPETpregnancypregnancy-associated cancerpregnant

Identifiers

PMID40464157
PMCPMC12240139

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.