Breast CT, ultrasound and mammography for detecting breast cancer
He et al., European Journal of Radiology, 2016, 212 patients
What they found
Breast CT identified 97 of 110 cancers, compared with 93 for compression mammography and ultrasound. In women with dense breasts, breast CT detected 89.2% of cancers, compared with 78.4% for compression mammography.
What it means for you
If you have dense breasts, a 3D view without overlapping tissue can help our radiologists see more.
Keep in mind
A single-center study of women already being evaluated for a breast concern.
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Head-to-head comparison of breast CT and mammography
Yang et al., European Journal of Radiology, 2024, meta-analysis of 8 studies, 847 patients
What they found
Across the studies, breast CT detected 92% of cancers compared with 77% for compression mammography, with significantly higher overall accuracy. The rate of false alarms was similar between the two.
What it means for you
Breast CT found more cancers without raising the rate of false alarms.
Keep in mind
The included studies were small and varied, and the authors call for larger studies.
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Breast CT and mammography for calcifications
Liu et al., Acta Radiologica, 2023, 115 paired exams
What they found
Breast CT detected about 98% of the calcification clusters seen on compression mammograms, and radiologists described them in substantial agreement across both exams.
What it means for you
Breast CT can show calcifications and their 3D pattern in the same scan that shows the rest of the breast.
Keep in mind
Very fine or faint calcifications can sometimes be clearer on a compression mammogram, so our radiologists may recommend additional or alternative options.
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Emerging clinical applications for cone-beam breast CT
Siddall, Zhang and O'Connell, Current Breast Cancer Reports, 2024, review
What they found
Summarizes breast CT since its 2015 FDA approval: a 7-second scan per breast without compression, radiation of about 5.1 to 7.5 mGy (similar to a diagnostic compression mammogram), and patients rating it more comfortable than compression mammography.
What it means for you
Comfort and image quality don't have to be a trade-off.
Keep in mind
The authors disclose financial ties to Koning, the scanner's manufacturer.
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Mammography and pain
Van Goethem et al., European Radiology, 2003, observational study
What they found
73% of women reported pain during compression mammography, and about one in five of them were unsure or unwilling to return to the same facility.
What it means for you
Pain is a real reason women delay imaging. Breast CT removes compression from the scan.
Keep in mind
This study looked at compression mammography pain; it didn't test breast CT.
Eur Radiol. 2003;13:2384-2389
Our breast CT system is FDA-approved. Talk with your doctor about the breast imaging that's right for you.
References
- He et al. Breast CT, ultrasound and mammography for detecting breast cancer. European Journal of Radiology. 2016. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2015.11.029
- Yang et al. Head-to-head comparison of breast CT and mammography. European Journal of Radiology. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2024.111292
- Liu et al. Breast CT and mammography for calcifications. Acta Radiologica. 2023. doi:10.1177/02841851221112562
- Siddall, Zhang and O'Connell Emerging clinical applications for cone-beam breast CT. Current Breast Cancer Reports. 2024. doi:10.1007/s12609-024-00535-4
- Van Goethem et al. Mammography and pain. European Radiology. 2003. Eur Radiol. 2003;13:2384-2389