Dear Women's Imaging Insider,
Finding the best way to screen women with dense breast tissue for cancer remains a Holy Grail of sorts in the medical imaging community, especially because mammography isn't as sensitive in this population. The quest is sparking research on relatively newer technologies such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and automated breast ultrasound.
But what if the ideal screening tool for women with dense breasts already exists? Researchers from Regional Medical Imaging in Flint, MI, suggest that using a particular streamlined imaging protocol for breast MR could make that technology so effective it could replace screening mammography in women with dense tissue. This would save money not only because it takes less time than typical breast MR sequences, but because no new equipment would be needed. Click here to read more.
After you've finished reading the Insider Exclusive, which is available to you before the rest of our AuntMinnie.com members, find out what else is going on in the Women's Imaging Digital Community:
- Discover why Pittsburgh researchers think DBT is better than mammography for working up suspicious lesions.
- Learn which tumor features seen on contrast-enhanced breast MRI may be predictive of breast cancer recurrence.
- Learn why Canadian clinicians believe serial compression ultrasound and Doppler imaging can reliably and safely exclude deep vein thrombosis in pregnant women.
- Read why, among patients with abnormal mammograms, one-view DBT showed better sensitivity and negative predictive value than full-field digital mammography for those with fatty and dense breasts.
- Find out why California researchers believe that patients signing up for breast or colon cancer screening should have a minimum remaining life expectancy of at least 10 years to boost the chances of benefiting from the exams and overcoming their inherent risks.
As always, if you have a comment, report, or article idea to share about any aspect of women's imaging, I invite you to contact me.
