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Objectives: Despite significant progress in the field of nuclear medicine, basic nuclear medicine awareness and understanding among clinicians remains unsatisfactory, leading to under utilization of nuclear medicine modalities. To evaluate the awareness and knowledge regarding nuclear medicine and appropriate use of Nuclear medicine modalities, among medical students and faculty members. Method: In this descriptive cross sectional study, a self timer limited objective questionnaire based on Google forms was distributed to the study population and scores obtained by the participants were analyzed. Results: Percent scores range for intern, residency trainees, and senior resident/faculty groups for general awareness were 16-46%, 37-58% and 62-91% and for knowledge and appropriate use were 7-21%, 28-43%, and 35-85% respectively. Overall, 61% of the participants had poor awareness and knowledge regarding nuclear medicine modalities. None of the participants had received nuclear medicine exposure or education during their academics or training. Only 49% of the participants considered utilizing nuclear medicine modalities for their patient management. Conclusion: Undergraduate interns and residency trainees had a poor to fair level of awareness and knowledge regarding nuclear medicine. Hence creating more awareness in early stages of their career by incorporating Nuclear medicine basic education in medical undergraduate curriculum is required. The senior residents/faculty members had a moderate to good level of awareness and knowledge but still improvement in their knowledge would lead to a more appropriate and better utilization of nuclear medicine modalities for optimum patient management in a variety of clinical settings.
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PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided preoperative needle localization (PNL) of breast lesions previously sampled by MRI-guided vacuum-assisted core needle biopsy (VACNB) without marker placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 15 women with 16 breast lesions undergoing MRI-guided VACNB without marker placement who subsequently underwent MRI-guided PNL, both on an open 0.5T magnet using freehand techniques. Mammograms and specimen radiographs were rated for lesion visibility; MRI images were rated for lesion visibility and hematoma formation. Imaging findings were correlated with pathology. RESULTS: The average prebiopsy lesion size was 16 mm (range 4-50 mm) with 13/16 lesions located in mammographically dense breasts. Eight hematomas formed during VACNB (average size 13 mm, range 8-19 mm). PNL was performed for VACNB pathologies of cancer (5), high-risk lesions (5), or benign but discordant findings (6) at 2-78 days following VACNB. PNL targeted the lesion (2), hematoma (4), or surrounding breast architecture (10). Wire placement was successful in all 16 lesions. Final pathology showed six cancers, five high-risk lesions, and five benign findings. CONCLUSION: MRI-guided PNL is successful in removing lesions that have previously undergone VACNB without marker placement by targeting the residual lesion, hematoma, or surrounding breast architecture, even in mammographically dense breasts.