Screening Algorithms in Dense Breasts

Full article: https://www.ajronline.org/doi/abs/10.... Screening mammography reduces breast cancer mortality; however, performance and resulting benefits are reduced in dense breasts. Increased breast density also represents an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), ultrasound (US), MRI, molecular breast imaging (MBI) and contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) each have demonstrated improved cancer detection in dense breasts compared to 2D-digital mammography (DM). Producing simultaneous reduction of recalls, DBT is the preferred mammographic technique. US further increases cancer detection after DM or DBT and reduces interval cancers, but results in substantial additional false positive findings. MBI improves cancer detection with effective radiation dose about four-fold that of DM or DBT, but still within accepted limits. MRI provides the greatest increase in cancer detection and decreases interval cancers and late-stage disease; abbreviated techniques will reduce cost and improve availability. CEM appears to offer performance similar to MRI, but further validation is needed. Dense breast notification will soon be the national standard: understanding performance of mammography and supplemental modalities is necessary to optimize screening for women with dense breasts. Read More: https://www.ajronline.org/doi/abs/10.... Presented by Wendie A. Berg, MD, PhD Professor of Radiology, U Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Chief Scientific Advisor DenseBreast-info.org.