Women’s imaging has a lot going for it at RSNA 2023 in Chicago. A large variety of methods and modalities will be showcased for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as other pathologies.
Supplemental screening takes center stage at the meeting as researchers highlight the roles of imaging modalities such as MRI, ultrasound, and molecular breast imaging in confirming suspicious findings on screening mammography. Along with that, radiologists are tackling the challenge of screening for dense breasts, an issue that has come under intense focus in recent years.
In scientific presentations, researchers will demonstrate how different modalities perform in screening for dense breasts. They will also highlight how their findings in this area coincide with recent federal legislation mandating the disclosure of breast density information to women, as well as updated guidelines on dense breast screening.
Not surprisingly, there will also be no shortage of presentations on the use of AI for breast imaging applications. Studies to be shown in scientific and educational sessions as well as industry demonstrations will continue to demonstrate the technology’s progress in diagnosing and predicting risk for breast cancer. This includes how AI can assess breast arterial calcifications, how multimodal AI can improve breast cancer screening, how the technology can help tackle the challenge of interval cancers, and how adding prior imaging exams to AI can further enhance the technology’s performance, among other innovative applications.
Additionally, advanced and emerging imaging methods will be explored at this year’s meeting. These include molecular breast imaging’s potential role as a supplemental screening tool, the use of contrast in mammography and MRI in better visualizing findings, and better understanding of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) as a screening and diagnostic modality. Along with that, nuclear medicine’s role in breast cancer staging and breast biopsy will be explored.
However, there’s more to women’s imaging than breast imaging. Scientific sessions at RSNA will also demonstrate how MRI and ultrasound imaging aid in better detection and treatment strategies for patients with cervical cancer, as well as how it can improve measuring fetal characteristics in pregnant women.
RSNA attendees can also explore the technical exhibits for the many women’s imaging technologies to be showcased by participating vendors, as well as attend educational sessions that will review the many complex aspects of today’s imaging challenges, including what the future may hold for radiologists in this area. Attendees can also explore the large, diverse research to be shown in poster presentations.
Keep reading for highlights of just some of the many presentations scheduled for this year's meeting. You can also access the complete scientific and educational program on the RSNA 2023 website.
DWI-MRI shows success as supplemental breast imaging tool
Sunday, November 26 | 11 a.m.-11:10 a.m. | S2-SSBR01-4 | Room S401
In this session, researchers will demonstrate how diffusion-weighted imaging MRI (DWI-MRI) could be a useful supplemental screening tool in breast imaging.
DBT dosage lessens with increasing breast density
Sunday, November 26 | 1:10 p.m.-1:20 p.m. | S4-SSPH02-2 | Room N227B
Here, attendees will learn how although digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) plus synthesized mammography may lead to higher average glandular doses, these doses do lower as breast density increases.
Breast cancer screening strategy could also improve lung screening
Sunday, November 26 | 3:10 p.m.-3:20 p.m. | S4-SSCH02-1| Room N228
A study on how intervention strategies for women undergoing screening mammography can also improve lung cancer screening enrollment will be highlighted in this scientific presentation.
Fetal MRI can detect genetic syndromes
Sunday, November 26 | 3:10 p.m.-3:20 p.m. | S5-SSOB01 | Room N229
In this session, fetal MRI’s role in detecting genetic syndromes will be explored, including how atypical temporal lobe asymmetry could be a soft marker for an underlying genetic condition.
CEM can be used with low contrast dosage
Sunday, November 26 | 3:10 p.m.-3:20 p.m. | S5-SSBR02-5 | Room E450B
In this session, research will demonstrate how low-dose contrast enhanced mammography (CEM) can be used without fear of sacrificing on diagnostic performance.
Breast density impacts interval cancer rates
Monday, November 27 | 8 a.m.-8:10 a.m. | M1-SSBR03-2 | Room E352
Here, a presentation will show how breast density impacts both interval cancer rates and overall cancer rates, which could further inform treatment and management strategies.
Molecular breast imaging and DBT: Better together
Monday, November 27 | 8:10 a.m.-8:20 a.m. | M1-SSBR03-3 | Room E352
Molecular breast imaging shows its promise as a supplemental tool to further improve digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), according to this scientific presentation.
PET/CT upstages locally advanced breast cancer
Monday, November 27 | 8:10 a.m.-8:20 a.m. | M1-SSNMMI02-3 | Room E350
Here, Canadian research will highlight how PET/CT upstages locally advanced breast cancer to stage IV more often than conventional imaging.
In AI for breast cancer screening, three modalities are better than one
Tuesday, November 28 | 9:30 a.m.-9:40 a.m. | T3-SSBR05-1 | Room S406B
In this talk, researchers will reveal data showing that multimodal AI can yield better results than single-modality AI software in women screened with both mammography and ultrasound.
AI can assess breast arterial calcifications on screening mammo
Tuesday, November 28 | 9:40 a.m.-9:50 a.m. | T3-SSBR05-2 | Room S406B
In this talk, researchers will provide results from a multicenter study evaluating the use of AI software for assessing breast arterial calcifications.
Malignancy rates on breast biopsy vary by modality
Tuesday, November 28 | 3:10 p.m.-3:20 p.m. | T7-SSBR06-2 | Room S404
Malignancy rates for findings undergoing image-guided breast biopsy vary by the method of detection, according to research to be presented in this session.
AI can enable lower breast MRI contrast dose
Wednesday, November 29 | 9:40 a.m.-9:50 a.m. | W3-SSBR08-2 | Room S406A
A deep learning-based technique could pave the way for lower doses of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) in breast MRI, according to this presentation.
Deep-learning model identifies women with high breast cancer risk
Wednesday, November 29 | 3:40 p.m.-3:50 p.m. | W7-SSBR09-5 | Room S406B
In this scientific session, researchers will describe how a deep learning image-based risk model can identify women in their 40s who have a higher five-year future breast cancer risk.
AI shows success in classifying interval breast cancers
Thursday, November 30 | 8:20 a.m.-8:30 a.m. | R1-SSBR10 | Room E450B
Attendees will learn about how AI can classify interval breast cancers as minimal signs and reading-error misses in this session.
DWI-MRI improves treatment response prediction for cervical cancer
Thursday, November 30 | 3:10 p.m.-3:20 p.m. | R1-SSRO04-6 | Room S502
In this presentation, researchers will demonstrate how diffusion-weighted imaging MRI (DWI-MRI) may enhance chemoradiotherapy response prediction of early treatment timepoints for cervical cancer.