New scanning techniques offer hope for women with dense breasts, potentially tripling the number of cancers detected through enhanced mammograms and fast MRI scans.
Around one in 10 women have very dense breasts, and they have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. However, cancers are harder to spot in dense breasts because of the way mammograms work. The traditional mammogram technique can make it difficult to distinguish between dense tissue and early-stage cancers.
Breast density refers to the amount of fibroglandular tissue in the breast, which can appear as a mixture of fat and glandular tissue on a mammogram.
Women with dense breasts have more glandular tissue and less fatty tissue compared to those with non-dense breasts.
According to the American College of Radiology (ACR), approximately 40-50% of women have dense breasts.
Dense breast tissue can make it harder for doctors to detect tumors, but regular screening mammograms remain effective.
The Challenge of Dense Breasts in Breast Cancer Detection
When women with very dense breasts undergo a mammogram, their breast tissue appears whiter on the x-ray, making it harder for doctors to identify any abnormalities. This is because the density of the breast tissue can mask the signs of cancer, leading to delayed diagnosis and potentially life-threatening consequences.
Dense breast tissue is a normal variation in breast density, affecting about 40% of women.
It's characterized by a higher proportion of glandular and fibrous tissue compared to fatty tissue.
Women with dense breasts are at increased risk for breast cancer and may require more frequent mammograms.
Dense breast tissue can also make it harder to detect tumors on mammography.
The American College of Radiology recommends that patients be informed about their breast density after mammography.
New Scanning Techniques Offer Hope
Research has identified two alternative methods that could treble the number of cancers detected in women with very dense breasts. The first method involves an enhanced mammogram, which uses injections to make blood vessels more visible. This allows doctors to better visualize tumors in the breast. The second method involves a fast MRI scan, also using injections to enhance visibility.
New scanning techniques have revolutionized industries such as medicine, engineering, and archaeology.
Phase Contrast Microscopy enhances image resolution by up to 100 times.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) uses low-coherence interferometry for high-resolution imaging of internal structures.
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images.
These advancements enable precise diagnosis, improved materials inspection, and more accurate historical artifact analysis.
Trial Results and Potential Impact
A recent study published in The Lancet found that these new scanning techniques detected 17-19 cancers per 1,000 women screened, compared to eight cancers per 1,000 women screened with traditional mammograms. This amounts to more than 20,000 additional cancers detected each year.
The researchers estimate that using these alternative methods on women with very dense breasts could identify an additional 3,500 extra cancers per year and potentially save 700 lives.
A Call for Change
Prof Fiona Gilbert, who led the research, believes that this new approach could make a significant difference in breast cancer detection rates. ‘We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.‘
