Breast Ultrasound as an Adjunct to Screening Mammography?

Because dense breast tissue can hinder the identification of cancer on screening mammography, breast density notification laws have been enacted along with the suggestion that supplemental imaging such as ultrasound may improve cancer detection. However, the effectiveness of breast ultrasound to supplement screening mammography has not been determined. In a retrospective analysis of Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) registry data from 2000 through 2013, investigators identified 3386 asymptomatic women who underwent screening breast ultrasound examinations on the same day as screening mammography and matched them 1:5 with >15,000 women who had mammography alone. Women were followed for 12 months after the screening imaging for bre…