Mammography Vs MRI - What Should You Get And When?

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Article Date: 31 Oct 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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By the end of this year, more than 17 million women in this country will get a mammogram.* It's proven to be one of the most effective ways to screen for breast cancer. But some women are now going high-tech with their exams - even getting MRIs to look for signs of cancer. So how do you know which test is best for you? A recent study sheds some new light on the issue.

It was back in 1969 that the first modern mammogram was performed.** Since then, technology has made the images much clearer, but the choices more complex. Women can now also get digital exams and MRIs to check for breast cancer. Which one do you need? Doctors now have some answers thanks to a massive four year study that followed nearly 50,000 women. It's a study that confirmed every woman should start in the same place.

"You always start with your mammogram. It's the basics. It's what we need to build our diagnosis on," says Adele Lipari, D.O. at Ohio State University's James Cancer Hospital. Beyond the traditional exam, Dr. Lipari says there are two options - first, a digital mammogram. Not every woman needs one, but there are benefits.

"If you are a younger woman under the age of 50, or if you are a woman over 50 that has very dense breasts, you're going to do much better with a digital mammogram," says Lipari.

That's because the digital images are better and can pick up more subtle signs. What about MRIs? Lipari says the average woman shouldn't worry about them because they're too expensive and time-consuming. However, the study found if you've already had cancer or have a strong family history or known genetic link, then an MRI is a good idea.

"It'll detect approximately 15-28% more cancers than a regular mammogram will, but only in that subset of people," says Lipari.

The bottom line, Lipari says, is get your mammogram every year, talk to your doctor about your concerns every time, and decide together which test is best. Talking to your doctor is crucial because it could determine what type of screening you get. Be sure to tell your doctor about your family history and any concerns you might have. After age 40, women should get a mammogram every year.**

*National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: Advance Data No. 365, October 4, 2005, pg: 30, table: 17, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov
**Mammograms and Other Beast Imaging Procedures, American Cancer Society, October 2007, http://www.cancer.org