Recent Trends in Medical Imaging Modalities and Challenges For Diagnosing Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the leading deadly cancer and most commonly diagnosed in women. New technologies in supplement to existing imaging modalities improve breast cancer screening. This article contributes to identify the high potential device that suggested high accuracy and reliable tool for breast screening and also to examine new screening modalities. An improved imaging system which ensures early detection, non-invasive and radiation free is expected in diagnosis. Numerous imaging modalities like positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thermography, electrical impedance tomography and few others with recent developments show great potential for diagnosis. Some of the techniques aim for lesion detection and characterization with increased specificity and accuracy. In this paper, the capabilities of traditional and emerging breast imaging modalities used in breast cancer screening are summarized and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.