Radiological Society of North America (RSNA): Annual Screening With Breast Ultrasound or MRI Could Benefit Some Women AT A GLANCE

CHICAGO, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Results of a large-scale clinical trial presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) provide the first strong evidence of the benefit of annual screening ultrasound for women with dense breasts who are at elevated risk for breast cancer. In addition, the study confirmed that MRI is highly sensitive in depicting early breast cancer.

Women who are at high risk for breast cancer need to begin screening at a younger age, because they often develop cancer earlier than women at average risk. However, women below age 50 are more likely to have dense breast tissue, which can limit the effectiveness of mammography as a screening tool.

"Because MRI is a very expensive test and requires intravenous contrast, it is something we only recommend for screening the approximately 2 percent of women who are known or likely carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations or have other unusual circumstances that put them at very high risk for breast cancer," Dr. Berg said.

The researchers studied 612 women, mean age 55 years, at elevated risk of breast cancer enrolled at 14 sites in the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) 6666 trial funded by the Avon Foundation and the National Cancer Institute. Women underwent baseline screening mammography and ultrasound with follow-up exams at 12 and 24 months and then a single, contrast-enhanced MRI at 24 months.

The study also found that supplemental screening with ultrasound or MRI significantly increased the risk of false-positive findings, leading to unnecessary biopsies in some women.

Coauthors are Zheng Zhang, Ph.D., Jean B. Cormack, Ph.D., Roberta A. Jong, M.D., Richard G. Barr, M.D., Ph.D., Daniel E. Lehrer, M.D., and other ACRIN 6666 investigators.

RSNA is an association of more than 44,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to excellence in patient care through education and research. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on breast imaging, visit RadiologyInfo.org.

CONTACT: RSNA Newsroom, +1-312-949-3233; Before 11/28/09 or after 12/3/09:
RSNA Media Relations, +1-630-590-7762; or Maureen Morley, +1-630-590-7754,
mmorley@rsna.org, or Linda Brooks, +1-630-590-7738, lbrooks@rsna.org, both
of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

Web site: http://www.rsna.org/
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/