A recently published study1 evaluated 2,120 women with less than a 15% lifetime r i s k f o r breast cancer. Breast MRI detected 60 additional breast cancers that were not detected on mammography, which included 40 invasive cancers. This is important, because it demonstrates MRI’s ability to detect faster and more aggressive types of cancer. Would mammography eventually detect these cancers over time? Possibly, but the whole point of breast cancer screening is to achieve the earliest possible detection. With early detection, a woman’s options for treatment are markedly increased, and she may avoid possible mastectomy. So if breast MRI can find cancers that mammography does not, why not simply replace mammography with it? Unfortunately, breast MRI can miss certain types of cancer as well, including those that present with microcalcifications that are associated with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), a type of breast cancer that starts within the milk ducts. Patients with DCIS usually do not experience symptoms, such as pain, lump, nipple discharge and skin changes. I believe it is important for high-risk women to have access to all of the appropriate imaging tests, allowing them to work with their doctors to find the right combination of screenings based on their personal risk. Breast MRI is an important screening tool for these women, and a critical part of our commitment to finding breast cancers early. 1 Christiane K. Kuhl, Kevin Strobel, Heribert Bieling, Claudia Leutner, Hans H. Schild, Simone Schrading. Supplemental Breast MR Imaging Screening of Women with Average Risk of Breast Cancer. Radiology, 2017; 161444 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2016161444 “I believe it is important for highrisk women to have access to all of the appropriate imaging tests.” 22 WomanToWomanMagazine.com
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