Mammography News and Research

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A mammogram is a safe test used to look for any problems with a woman's breasts. The test uses a special, low-dose x-ray machine to take pictures of both breasts. The results are recorded on x-ray film or directly onto a computer for a radiologist to examine.

Mammograms allow the doctor to have a closer look for breast lumps and changes in breast tissue. They can show small lumps or growths that a doctor or woman may not be able to feel when doing a clinical breast exam. "Mammography" is the best screening tool that doctors have for finding breast cancer.

If a lump is found, your doctor may order other tests, such as ultrasound or a biopsy--a test where a small amount of tissue is taken from the lump and area around the lump. The tissue is sent to a lab to look for cancer or changes that may mean cancer is likely to develop. Breast lumps or growths can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Finding breast cancer early means that a woman has a better chance of surviving the disease. There are also more choices for treatment when breast cancer is found early.

Deep learning algorithm uses mammograms and age for heart disease prediction

A new machine learning model developed by The George Institute for Global Health can successfully predict heart disease risk in women by analyzing mammograms. The findings were published today in Heart, the official journal of the British Cardiovascular Society.

17 Sep 2025

Automated AI analysis of mammogram images and age can predict cardiovascular disease risk

An AI algorithm based only on routine mammogram images plus age can predict a woman's risk of major cardiovascular disease as well as standard risk assessment methods, finds research published online in the journal Heart.

13 Sep 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Happy 60th, Medicare and Medicaid!

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed landmark legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid. Sixty years later, the programs represent a fifth of the federal budget and provide coverage to nearly 1 in 4 Americans.

21 Aug 2025

Hybrid reading strategy for screening mammography reduces radiologist workload

A hybrid reading strategy for screening mammography, developed by Dutch researchers and deployed retrospectively to more than 40,000 exams, reduced radiologist workload by 38% without changing recall or cancer detection rates.

19 Aug 2025

RSNA AI Challenge models show excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammograms

Algorithms submitted for an AI Challenge hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) have shown excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammography images, increasing screening sensitivity while maintaining low recall rates, according to a study published today in Radiology, the premier journal of the RSNA.

12 Aug 2025

FDA Breakthrough Device designation granted for AI-based mammogram analysis tool

A new technology that harnesses AI to analyze mammograms and improve the accuracy of predicting a woman's personalized five-year risk of developing breast cancer has received Breakthrough Device designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

30 Jul 2025

AI algorithm identifies one-third of missed breast cancers in DBT screenings

An AI algorithm for breast cancer screening has potential to enhance the performance of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), reducing interval cancers by up to one-third, according to a study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

29 Jul 2025

AI model accurately detects breast cancer on MRI scans

An AI model trained to detect abnormalities on breast MR images accurately depicted tumor locations and outperformed benchmark models when tested in three different groups, according to a study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

15 Jul 2025

OneTouch-PAT system detects breast cancer in under a minute without compression

A breast scan for detecting cancer takes less than a minute using an experimental system that combines photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging, according to a study in IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

12 Jul 2025

Artificial intelligence enhances radiologists’ accuracy in breast cancer detection

Artificial intelligence (AI) improves breast cancer detection accuracy for radiologists when reading screening mammograms, helping them devote more of their attention to suspicious areas, according to a study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

8 Jul 2025

Confusion persists over breast cancer screening guidelines

Mammograms can find cancer early before symptoms appear. Regular screening decreases the risk of dying from breast cancer.

3 Jul 2025

Caltech researchers develop safer and smarter breast imaging technique

A Caltech-led team has developed a safe, effective, and painless breast imaging technique that incorporates machine learning to help differentiate between suspicious and healthy tissue.

30 Jun 2025

Removing modest fee boosts access to 3D mammography among underserved groups

A new study by UCLA researchers shows that removing a modest $45 out-of-pocket fee significantly improved access to digital breast tomosynthesis (3D mammography), an advanced breast cancer screening technology.

27 Jun 2025

AI spots future breast cancer risk in mammograms years before diagnosis

In a large Norwegian study, a commercial AI tool analyzed routine mammograms and identified women at elevated risk of developing breast cancer up to 4–6 years before diagnosis. These AI-generated risk scores may help personalize breast cancer screening and facilitate earlier interventions.

3 Jun 2025

Clairity BREAST receives FDA authorization for AI-based breast cancer risk prediction

Clairity, Inc., a digital health innovator advancing AI-driven healthcare solutions, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) De Novo authorization for CLAIRITY BREAST, a novel, image-based prognostic platform designed to predict five-year breast cancer risk from a routine screening mammogram.

3 Jun 2025

Breast cancer detected via routine screening linked to better outcomes

Researchers have discovered that, compared to breast cancer that is symptom-detected, patients with breast cancer detected via routine screening mammography are more likely to have improved clinical outcomes, according to a study published today in Radiology: Imaging Cancer, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

30 May 2025

Enhancing early breast cancer diagnosis through modern imaging technologies

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, underscoring the critical need for early detection to improve survival rates and reduce treatment invasiveness.

28 May 2025

Rare cancer gene found in sperm donor sparks European regulatory concerns

A case in which a sperm donor was later found to be carrying a cancer-causing pathogenic variant in his gametes has highlighted the problems of regulating gamete donation at European and international level, the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics will hear today (Saturday).

23 May 2025

Supplemental imaging techniques improve cancer detection in women with dense breasts

In women with dense breasts (breasts with relatively low levels of fatty tissue) and a negative mammogram, supplemental imaging techniques detect early-stage cancers, with imaging techniques three times more effective than ultrasound, finds a phase 3 randomized control trial published in The Lancet.

22 May 2025

Abbreviated breast MRI retains high diagnostic accuracy in dense breast screening

Abbreviated breast MRI shortens exam time while retaining a high level of diagnostic accuracy of breast cancer in women with extremely dense breasts, according to an article published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

20 May 2025