According to a study published in Radiology Lo et al reviewed the outcomes
of 3,934 screening breast studies (MRI and mammograms) performed on 1,249
high-risk women. A total of 45 cancers (33 invasive and 12 ductal carcinomas in
situ) were diagnosed, 43 were seen with MR imaging and 14 with both mammography
and MR imaging. The cancer
detection rate for MR imaging was 21.8 cancers per 1000 examinations and that
for mammography was 7.2 cancers per 1000 examinations. Sensitivity and
specificity of MR imaging were 96% and 78% respectively, and those of
mammography were 31% and 89%, respectively (P < .001). The researchers reported that all cancers
found at screening mammography were also detected on breast MRI.
The researchers concluded that annual
screening mammography adds no value to women that are at high risk for breast
cancer especially since they are screened each year with breast MRI.
