The European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) is now recommending that MRI be used for breast cancer screening in women with extremely dense breasts.
Published March in European Radiology, the new recommendation marks a shift away from the one-size-fits-all approach of biennial mammography currently utilized in most European screening organizations in favor of personalized screening programs, according to the society.
The EUSOBI said it arrived at its recommendation after carefully considering the evidence, particularly the Dutch Dense Tissue and Early Breast Neoplasm Screening (DENSE) trial.
"We have known for a long time that the performance of mammography screening in women with extremely dense breasts is not very good," said EUSOBI president Prof. Fiona Gilbert in a statement. "However, we had nothing better to offer. The recent MRI screening trials have largely changed this."
EUSOBI also calls on all screening organizations to provide women with their breast density information and for radiologists to inform women that there are also clear downsides of breast cancer screening. Women should have a say in if and how they want to be screened, according to Dr. Ritse Mann, PhD, chair of EUSOBI's scientific committee and author of the new recommendation.
"This implies on one hand that we must offer women all methods -- including breast MRI -- that are proven effective, while on the other hand, we should never hold it against them when they opt for less effective methods or even no screening at all," Mann said in a statement.
