Got Breasts?
Content based on personal investigation and shared for informational use and public education.
Never disregard professional medical advice -- or delay in seeking it -- because of something you have read on this website.
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It's Time To Be... SEEN
more than 80% of women with breast cancer DID NOT have family history of breast cancer! (National Breast Cancer Foundation)
Our Mission
Our Mission
Hope -- for you to make an informed decision for your own body and your own health
Goal -- for all people -- with breasts -- to have more knowledge of their options for breast health screenings.
Vision-- for humans (and those who love them) to be tenacious, ornery, persistent, insistent, dogged, determined, tireless, indefatigable, resolute, ... patient-centered advocates in partnership with their chosen (HIGH BAR) health care professionals.
Why Early Detection?
Why Early Detection?
"Imagine if fewer people suffered and died from cancer because we detected and diagnosed the disease or its precursors at the earliest possible stage." — National Cancer Institute.
A mammogram is the oldest -- and most limited -- of prescribed screening tools. For a comparison of breast screening methods, go to independent site DenseBreast-info.org.
Not all breast cancer is the same: The two current 'main' types of are Ductal (known as NST - No Specific Type) and Lobular.
Mammograms routinely miss early NST/ductal breast cancer (Breast Cancer Now) in dense breast tissue.
Mammograms routinely miss early Lobular cancer (LBCA) in ANY breast tissue.
Early Detection Challenges
Early Detection Challenges
Screening mammograms routinely miss early NST/Ductal cancer in dense breasts. Check out the EXCELLENT video from independent site DenseBreast-info.org about dense breast mammogram 'masking' (watch how difficult it is to see lump in slides C and D).
Additionally, mammograms routinely miss early lobular cancer (LBCA) in ANY breast, regardless of density (read our founder's story, here).
Because of these imaging issues, several states have already made breast density reporting to patients a requirement. Not sure of your status? Find out more at the independent site Dense Breast-Info.org.
Not familiar with lobular breast cancer? Learn more here at the independent LBCA's site LobularBreastCancer.org.
What People are Saying about AB-MRI:
What People are Saying about AB-MRI:
"Big Advocate..." "I'm Glad I Finally Went..."
"Big Advocate..." "I'm Glad I Finally Went..."
What is Abbreviated Breast MRI?
What is Abbreviated Breast MRI?
Source: Moffit Cancer Center
"'AB-MRI' -- also called Abbreviated Breast or 'Fast' MRI (Diagnostic Imaging) -- is a shortened, cost-effective version of Full Breast MRI that screens for breast cancers not seen on mammography, for women of average risk."
Both Full Breast MRI and AB-MRI have the highest cancer detection rate (CDR) of all breast imaging (DenseBreast-Info) across all breast tissue categories. Traditionally, Full Breast MRI has been reserved for screening high-risk women due to cost and length of exam... "AB-MRI is quicker and less expensive. Suitable for screening lower 'at-risk' women."
Keep in mind more than 80% of women with breast cancer DID NOT have family history of breast cancer! (National Breast Cancer Foundation)
AB-MRI detects biologically aggressive invasive cancers and high-grade NST/DCIS at early stages. The sensitivity of AB-MRI is comparable to that of conventional MRI. (National Library of Medicine)
In a recent multi-center trial, significantly more invasive breast cancers were identified in women with dense breast on AB-MRI (17/17 women; 11.8 per 1000 women) as compared to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) (7/17 women; 4.8 per 1000 women). AB-MRI also found more cases of DCIS than DBT. As with all screening exams, false positive findings on AB-MRI are expected to occur, but the positive predictive value is within the range considered acceptable for screening mammography."
Breast MRI vs. Mammogram vs. Contrast Enhanced Mammogram- what's the difference?
Breast MRI vs. Mammogram vs. Contrast Enhanced Mammogram- what's the difference?
The three screenings use different technology, resulting in difference in accuracy and in what they can see.
A mammogram is more likely to give you a false-negative: false-meaning the result looks normal even though breast cancer is present, causing delay in detection and treatment.
The other possible kind of "incorrect" result is a false-positive. A false-positive result looks abnormal even though there is no cancer in the breast. It requires testing to confirm or rule out and monitoring in the future.
MRI's have a much lower rate of false-negatives, and a similar rate of false-positives. CEM is almost as accurate as an MRI, and an important option for those patients who cannot undergo an MRI (i.e. metal in body).
With just a mammogram you could have cancer and not know for years (routine for lobular cancer). Even if an MRI (or a CEM) gives a false positive - it can be stressful, but another test can quickly confirm or rule out cancer. Which would you rather have happen to you?
Read below for more details.
Mammogram
Mammogram
CPT 77067
A mammogram uses a specialized version of x-rays to look into the breast tissue. Because x-rays are best at seeing denser tissue, like bones, dense growths like tumors look different than surrounding tissue. But that also means dense breast tissue can obscure early cancer growth and make catching early stage cancers difficult.
Overall: More false negatives, less sensitive screening (later detection), poor for dense breasts, routinely misses lobular cancer
Overall, screening mammograms miss about 1 in 8 breast cancers. (12.5%) Women with dense breasts or lobular cancer are more likely to get false-negative results. False-negative mammograms can give women a false sense of security, thinking that they don’t have breast cancer when in fact they do (mammograms have the highest false negatives all screening methods).
A false-positive mammogram looks abnormal even though there is no active cancer in the breast. Abnormal results often require extra testing (MRI, diagnostic ultrasound or even a breast biopsy) The false positive rate for mammograms is 7-12% (and is the lowest of all screening methods).
Ductal Breast Cancer
Mammograms routinely miss NST/ductal lesions in the early stages if 'masked' by any dense tissue, causing delay in treatment ad harsher treatments.
Lobular Breast Cancer
Mammograms routinely miss lobular cancer.
Read More on The American Cancer Society 's independent Site
CEM
CEM
CPT Varies
A contrast enhanced mammogram (CEM) uses IV injection of a dye containing iodine (as is used in CT) in combination with a standard digital mammogram.
Overall: Still has false negatives (misses early cancers), but is more sensitive screening than a mammogram without contrast. CEM is currently being evaluated to see if it is better at detecting cancer than a "regular" mammogram in dense breasts, and whether it too routinely misses lobular cancer
Ductal Breast Cancer
Contrast enhanced mammograms are more likely to find NST/ductal lesions in the early stages even in dense breast tissue than a "regular" mammogram without contrast. While an MRI still has the highest rate of detection, CEM should be considered over a "regular" mammogram.
Lobular Breast Cancer
Mammograms routinely miss lobular cancer.
Abbreviated MRI
Abbreviated MRI
CPT 77049-52
An MRI - magnetic resonance imaging - is designed to look at soft tissue like muscles and organs, and takes pictures at multiple layers.
An abbreviated MRI is a screening test just like a mammogram. Unlike mammograms they do not use radiation. They are especially beneficial if you have dense breast tissue that would make it hard for mammograms to detect anything unusual in your breasts, but everyone can benefit.
Overall: Less false negatives, more sensitive screening (earlier detection), fine for dense breasts, routinely detects lobular cancer
A false positive result looks abnormal even though there is no cancer in the breast. Abnormal results often require extra testing (diagnostic ultrasound or even a breast biopsy) to find out if the change is cancer. A false-positives are often cited as the "problem" with MRI. Recent studies and improvements have changed this. The false positive rate for MRI is 5-8%.
Ductal Breast Cancer
MRI are more sensitive than mammograms and can detect small ductal cancers earlier (when they are more treatable), even through dense tissue.
Lobular Breast Cancer
MRI's can see the changes in breast tissue that indicate lobular cancer.
Questions to bring to your provider - get the info you need.
Find locations organized by state, with their self-pay costs.
Why does the screening tool matter?
MRI's are more accurate, can see through dense tissue, and routinely find EARLY Lobular cancer.
Mammograms routinely cannot screen for either.
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