My limited experience is that for small contained cancers imaging can't predict the future course for the tumor because you need cellar resolution that you can't get without a biopsy and a microscope and or genetic tests.
Even then it's really common to see a biopsy come back as 'indeterminate'. If it's indeterminate then now what? You either punt and do nothing or go for excision.
Consider this tidbit: A lot of slow moving low grade cancers it hardly matters when you find them. Early or later matters little. Whereas aggressive cancers often are untreatable. Find them early, find them late you'll die either way. And fast growing cancers often fully develop between screenings.
Even then it's really common to see a biopsy come back as 'indeterminate'. If it's indeterminate then now what? You either punt and do nothing or go for excision.
Consider this tidbit: A lot of slow moving low grade cancers it hardly matters when you find them. Early or later matters little. Whereas aggressive cancers often are untreatable. Find them early, find them late you'll die either way. And fast growing cancers often fully develop between screenings.