Abbreviated Breast MRI vs. Digital Breast Tomosynthesis for Women with Dense Breasts

Although dense breast tissue is highly prevalent, represents a risk factor for breast cancer, and diminishes the sensitivity of screening mammography, the optimal strategy for screening in women with dense breasts remains uncertain. To compare screening results with abbreviated breast magnetic resonance imaging (ABMRI) versus digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), investigators at 48 sites in the U.S. and Germany evaluated both modalities in women at average risk for breast cancer (lifetime risk <15%) with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts undergoing screening from 2016 to 2017.

Among 1444 participants, baseline screening revealed 19 invasive cancers in 17 women. ABMRI detected invasive cancer in all 17 women, while DBT detected it in …