A landmark Dutch study demonstrates that MRI scans can identify breast cancer earlier in women with dense breast tissue. The first results were published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine.
About 8 percent of the one million Dutch women who undergo annual mammograms have very dense breast tissue. This density obscures tumors on X-rays, which appear mostly white, and these women face twice the risk of developing breast cancer.
Implementing MRI screening could detect around 300 additional breast cancer cases per year earlier.
Read also: 'More insight into the survival chances of women with breast cancer'
MRI scans, however, come with challenges. They are significantly more expensive than mammograms and may detect harmless abnormalities, leading to unnecessary anxiety while awaiting results.
State Secretary Paul Blokhuis of Public Health has written to the House of Representatives, requesting advice from the Health Council and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Source: Nu.nl
