Baseline MRI for Breast Cancer Screening?

WayOutWestMom
Thu, 02 Feb 2017 18:26:35 +0000

If you have dense breasts, consider asking for a 3-D mammogram (also called digital tomosynthesis). According to a study at Duke, the accuracy of early breast cancer detection in dense breast tissue for 3-D mammos and MRIs are about the same.

The price of 3-D mammo is much less than a MRI. (Locally, it adds about $50-65 to cost of screening mammogram.) Also locally, 3-D mammos don’t require a referral. You can request one at the time of screening.

I had my first 3-D mammo 4 years ago when they first became available since I have dense breast tissue. I ended up having two biopsies (one in each breast; one biopsy had lingering complications) for (very) small masses not picked by previous regular mammos. Both were benign. But now that they have a good baseline on me, I haven’t had another false positive finding on the 3-D mammo.

BTW, strong familial history of breast cancer. D2 was diagnosed with IDC at age 25.