Imaging Techniques for Detecting Breast Cancer: Survey and Perspectives

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in America. A few years ago, the odds of developing breast cancer were reported as 1 in 13. Now the chance is 1 in 9. The only way today to find out for sure if a breast lump or abnormal tissue is cancer, is by having a biopsy: A suspicious tissue is removed by a surgical excision or needle biopsy and is examined under a microscope by a pathologist who makes the diagnosis. Imaging techniques of the breast are therefore vital since they will allow early detection of cancer, and localization of the suspicious lesion in the breast for a biopsy procedure.