The value of combination of bone scanning and measurement of carcinoembryonic antigen in diagnosis of breast cancer metastases.

The authors compared the results of bone scintigraphy and determination of CEA levels in a group consisting of 167 patients suffering from breast cancer with suspect distant metastases. The high agreement (79%) in results of both of examinations increase the diagnostic reliability of distant metastases. In the case of disagreement the bone scanning should be considered as a more sensitive method. The elevated CEA levels at negative or only uncertain bone scintigraphy results most often prove the present of distant metastases outside the skeleton.