Question 226 of 433
What should women know about breast screening beyond the mammogram?
The short answer
Know your breast density and your personal risk. Both change what screening you need.
Nearly half of women have dense breasts, which makes cancers harder to see on a mammogram and modestly raises risk. Mammography centers in the United States are now required to tell you your density. If yours is dense, ask whether an added ultrasound or MRI makes sense. Women with a strong family history or a known gene mutation should be screened earlier and with MRI. A risk calculator, which your doctor can run in five minutes, sorts this out.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
GUIDELINE / LIMITED OUTCOME EVIDENCE — High-risk women benefit from added MRI; dense breasts alone do not establish universal supplemental-screening benefit.Evidence grade (draft mapping)GGuideline-based / consensusPart 16, Q226 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.