AI Increases
Breast Cancer Detection
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ScreenPoint Medical, makers of Transpara AI, spoke to Dr. Cathy Keller, MD, President Emeritus of Lake Medical Imaging, about the importance of breast cancer detection. Named #1 in breast cancer detection in the South by the National Mammography Database for several years running, Lake Medical Imaging has received the national Imaging Innovation Award from the Radiological Society of North America, earning its designation as one of the “Top 100” diagnostic imaging practices in the nation by Radiology Today magazine.
Prompted by a recent study that showed that women who miss their first screening mammogram appointment could have a 40% higher long-term risk of dying from breast cancer, Dr. Keller stressed that the cure rate for breast cancers found early can be greater than 95%. That number drops significantly when detected in later stages.
Dr. Keller answers some of your questions below. Click on each question to see the answer:
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month there is usually a lot of talk about new approaches to cancer therapy that have dramatically changed the way patients are treated. There is no question that immunotherapies and other new treatments have improved outcomes and continue to do so, but for these treatments to be effective, we still need to find cancer early.
Why shouldn’t we be using it to improve the accuracy and efficiency of detecting breast cancer to ensure that all women receive high-quality screening results?
At Lake Medical Imaging, we use Transpara Breast AI because it is the most clinically validated tool available, serving as a “second pair of eyes,” to help me and my radiologists detect more cancers, especially in dense breasts. It also helps for my patients to know that AI helps even the most experienced breast radiologists be more accurate and frequently find more breast cancers. Transpara has helped make us more efficient, getting through the normal cases faster and with greater confidence. As a result, we have more time and mental capacity for the difficult cases that require greater scrutiny, and it also gives us more time to spend with the patients to discuss results.
Lake Medical Imaging has always been interested in adopting new technology that will be good for our patients. AI is a tool to improve what we do as radiologists, but like any tool, you must use it correctly.
Patients should know that a radiologist reviews every mammogram whether AI has been used or not. Using AI may help identify cases where additional imaging or biopsies are worthwhile for early, curable detection. Radiologists at Lake Medical Imaging use AI appropriately, responsibly, and intentionally. We are trained to understand its limitations and its strengths so we can use it to our best advantage, finding more breast cancers and serving our patients more effectively.
With advancements like 3D mammography, tools to calculate a woman’s risk of developing cancer, and Breast AI to improve accuracy in cancer detection, we are truly driving personalized screening today. This moves us past the one-size-fits-all approach and provides the best-quality screening and support for all women. Additionally, for women with dense breasts, we are now able to determine the most appropriate supplemental screening tools to detect cancer, such as ultrasound, contrast-enhanced mammography, and breast MRI.
Ultimately, our goal is early detection, which is every woman’s best protection from the health impacts of breast cancer. It is critical to schedule and attend every breast cancer screening appointment, starting at age 40 for patients who are at normal risk for breast cancer, whether it’s your first or you’ve been doing it for years.
