New Study Questions The Value of Supplemental Breast Ultrasound

Led by Dr. Janie Lee,  a research study of women with dense breast tissue found that the benefits to screening ultrasounds were modest while its potential harms were high. Comparing mammography plus ultrasonography with mammography alone, significantly higher rates of recommendation for non-invasive imaging follow up and biopsies were observed, without significantly increased cancer detection rate or decreased interval cancer rates. These results suggest that the benefits of supplemental ultrasonography screening may not outweigh associated harms. Additional efforts are needed to more accurately identify women who will benefit from supplemental ultrasound screening.

 

http://www.bcsc-research.org/bcsc-blog/adjunct-us-performance