3D mammography detects more cases of breast cancer

Recently, an American was published StadyIt is the largest procedure in which a 3D mammogram is compared to a regular mammogram. Results from the Million Women Breast Cancer Screening show, among other things, that 3D mammography detected more cases of cancer, and there were fewer false alarms than regular mammography.

Even a Swedish study was previously able to show increased cancer detection with this method. However, the studies are not entirely comparable, as Sweden already has a very low frequency of false alarms.

Sofia Zakrisson, professor of diagnostic radiology at Lund University, still finds the US study interesting.

The study confirms that 3D mammography is a more sensitive method for detecting breast cancer. It also shows that the examination works in practice.

This method proves useful above all on breasts that contain a lot of glandular tissue, the so-called dense breasts. Dense breasts are a risk factor for cancer, while this cancer is also difficult to detect with regular mammograms.

The National Board of Health and Social Care does not update the recommendations

Recently, the National Board of Health and Care issued a referral in which they chose not to update recommendations for breast cancer screening, whether that was for alternative methods such as 3D mammography or approaches specifically for women at risk.

– You always have to balance the effects you get with resources. Therefore, we need studies that show at the group level that the method produces the desired effect, above all a reduction in mortality, says Matthias Fredriksson, unit chief at the National Board of Health and Welfare.

Use of artificial intelligence

The kind of studies required by the National Board of Health and Welfare are impossible, Sophia Zacharesson believes, and she believes it is a matter of resources.

– Since it takes more time for a radiologist to review images than a 3D mammogram, I think AI should come as a player so that we can introduce the method in the future, says Sofia Zacharison.