The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is set to acquire a mammography machine equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) software to aid in the detection and assessment of breast abnormalities, including early signs of cancer.
“The AI-enabled machine will provide an additional layer of analysis, particularly benefiting resident doctors by offering a second opinion while interpreting mammography images,” said Dr Veenu Singla, professor, department of radiodiagnosis and imaging, PGIMER.
“We are working in AI in ultrasound and have ordered a new mammography machine that will have inbuilt artificial intelligence software,” Singla said.
AI can play an important role in the early detection of breast cancer by identifying small groups of calcifications – clusters of calcium deposits in the breast that can be an early marker of cancer. Such deposits may sometimes be missed, particularly in women with dense breasts, said Singla.
The department is also using AI to assess breast density more objectively. Higher breast density is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, she said.
Singla was speaking at a press conference at the institute on Friday ahead of a two-day course on musculoskeletal and breast imaging being organised jointly by AIIMS, New Delhi, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, and PGIMER.
Over 100 delegates are expected to participate in the fifth edition of the course, where faculty from the three institutes will discuss advances in radiodiagnosis and imaging.
The future applications of AI in breast cancer could also include determining the molecular status of tumours, Singla said. “At present, molecular status is determined through biopsy and the results can take around 10 to 15 days. AI-based analysis could reduce the waiting time,” she added.
Molecular status helps doctors determine the type of breast cancer and select appropriate treatment.
PGIMER is also using synthesised mammography instead of conventional mammography, which, according to Singla, reduces patients’ exposure to radiation.
For breast cancer patients, the institute also offers marker placement before neoadjuvant chemotherapy – a treatment using cancer-fighting drugs given before surgery to shrink tumors and make operations easier or possible – in cases such as triple-negative breast cancer, which is reported more frequently in younger women. The marker permanently identifies the tumour site, helping doctors track the tumour during treatment and locate it precisely during surgery.
The department also offers vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, in which multiple tissue samples can be collected after a single needle insertion, unlike conventional biopsy procedures that may require multiple needle insertions.
Singla said the cost of breast procedures at PGIMER is lower than private facilities. A biopsy at the institute costs around ₹100, compared to approximately ₹2,000 to ₹35,000 in the private sector.
The department’s services also extend to minimally invasive treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, said Dr Mahesh Prakash, professor, department of radiodiagnosis and imaging.
Among the procedures offered are radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation for osteoid osteoma, a small benign bone tumour that can cause persistent pain.