When mammography plus ultrasound are insufficient to characterize an abnormality, the gold standard next step is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the breast.

However, in patients with contraindications (e.g. certain implantable devices) or who prefer to avoid MRI (claustrophobia, discomfort), use of scintimammography is an acceptable alternative.

Cancer cells take up radiopharmaceutical at a higher rate than surrounding normal tissue, and as such they show up on scintigraphy as areas of increases gamma radiation emission.

A patient can expect to receive an injection of radiopharmaceutical agent intravenously in the arm contralateral to the breast under investigation.

After waiting 5–10 minutes, the breast tissue is placed into the MBI system and a series of images are obtained.