Can ultrasound replace mammography in breast cancer screening?
- Article
- 2023-05-28
Recently, three hospitals - Radboudumc in Nijmegen, St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein and Noordwest Hospital in Alkmaar - conducted a study into the use of ultrasound as an alternative to mammography in breast cancer research. [1] The results suggest that ultrasound may replace mammography. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that screens all of the breast tissue (fat, connective tissue, and glandular tissue) and helps detect abnormalities. To obtain a two-dimensional image of the breast tissue, the breast tissue is compressed, which can be experienced as (very) painful. A mammogram takes about fifteen minutes and is currently the standard procedure for breast cancer screening. Every year, about 70,000 women visit the hospital because of a swelling or lump in the breast. These complaints can often be accurately localized in the chest, so that they can be properly investigated using ultrasound. In the current study, which involved 2000 patients, ultrasound was found to rule out cancer with an accuracy of 99.8%. This is particularly good news for younger women, up to about 30 years of age. Mammography cannot always be reliably assessed in this group because of the presence of glandular tissue. The fact that an ultrasound is sufficient for breast complaints offers a positive outlook given the painful nature of a mammogram. However, it is important to note that a mammogram still remains important and that ultrasound is not a potential replacement for national screening, with all women between the ages of 50 and 75 receiving an invitation every two years. In the absence of breast complaints, it is essential to examine the entire breast, something that is not (yet) possible with ultrasound. An ultrasound can only check a small portion of the breast at a time. Further research is necessary before the guidelines are adapted in such a way that ultrasound is sufficient in some cases. Sources: NOS: Ultrasound may replace painful examination for breast lump KWF: What is a mammogram?
Did you not find what you were looking for? Search further in the
