Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the world's population. It remains one of the most curable cancers if detected early. Early detection can lead to effective treatment and subsequently better survival rates. Mammograms, clinical exams, and self-exams are the traditional means of conducting an early diagnosis of breast cancer. Continuous research and innovations in medical science change the face of breast cancer screening day by day. With inventions to make it more accurate, with reduced discomfort, and accessible screenings, these promise a better efficiency and effectiveness in the detection of breast cancer. In this blog, we are going to talk about the latest innovations in breast cancer screening methods.
1. 3D Mammography (Digital Breast Tomosynthesis)
Perhaps the most striking innovation in breast cancer screening has been 3D mammography, or digital breast tomosynthesis. 3D mammography captures several X-rays from different angles in order to create a more detailed three-dimensional view of breast tissue. This will allow radiologists to probe layer by layer of breast tissue, thus making it easier for them to find small, possibly hidden tumors under other overlaid tissue layers in the 2D views, thereby better assessing the breast cancer stages and prognosis.
The greatest benefit of 3D mammography has been that it is shown in women with dense breast tissue, where it is believed to detect earlier signs of cancer that a regular mammogram would miss. It results in increasing detection rates for invasive cancers and decreasing the number of false positives, which can be an alleviation from unwarranted stress and additional testing.
2. Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS)
In dense breast tissue, mammograms are very far from being certain. ABUS has been developed to be an adjunctive modality in mammography so that clear visualization of dense tissue is possible. Handheld ultrasounds have been utilized for decades as adjuncts with mammograms but were operator-driven, thus introducing variability in the imaging process. ABUS is automated and ensures constant images with minimal operator variability.
ABUS is sensitive and can recognize small tumors that could be hidden by dense tissue in a mammogram. It is painless and does not use radiation, which makes it safer for some women. Therefore, the incorporation of the ABUS technology into routine screening of more health providers may go a long way in the detection of cancer in women with dense breasts.
3. Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM)
The newest highly promising development is called contrast-enhanced mammography. This is the traditional mammography with intravenous contrast that points out areas of abnormal blood flow within the tissue of the breast in a similar fashion to how it works for MRI scans. Since cancerous tumors often have an increased blood supply, the approach will likely be able to locate areas that may or may not be cancerous but cannot be seen on traditional mammograms.
It is of great benefit to women who are contraindicated or cannot afford MRI scans. It offers a more affordable and accessible option over MRI and better imaging capabilities that can detect cancers, which may not be seen through a conventional mammogram.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
One of the more developed approaches in changing the face of the radiology field is through the integration of AI and machine learning in breast cancer screening, proving to be fruitful in the realm of radiology. The AI algorithm can be programmed to look through mammograms and detect anomalies with a very high accuracy rate, thus flagging potential tumors for further evaluation by the radiologist, and indeed acting as an additional pair of eyes that rarely makes a human error.
AI is also employed in the analysis of massive datasets to determine patterns, which, in turn, would predict the early stages of breast cancer. As such, AI-assisted breast cancer screening tools are still being improved and perfected in the hope that this will become much more accurate and widely used to significantly improve detection at earlier stages and reduce false positives and negatives.
5. Liquid Biopsies
Although not part of the classic imaging disciplines, liquid biopsies are a new concept of imaging breast cancer by blood test. Liquid biopsies work by identifying cancer-related genetic material-CIRCULATING TUMOR DNA (ctDNA)-in the circulatory system. This technology successfully detects cancerous cells in the very early stages without attempting to image them because, by then, they may be microscopic in size and therefore undetectable by normal imaging techniques.
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