The Additional Diagnostic Value of Mri in Mammographic Screening
Keywords:
breast cancer, screening diagnostics, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, dense breast tissue, early detectionAbstract
Breast cancer remains one of the leading oncological causes of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, making early detection a key priority of modern healthcare systems. Population-based mammographic screening is widely used as the primary diagnostic approach; however, its effectiveness may decrease in women with dense breast tissue and in diagnostically complex situations.
The present study aimed to assess the practical contribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an additional diagnostic method within an organized mammographic screening program. The analysis included screening data of more than 100,000 women aged 40–69 years examined between 2022 and 2024. In cases with suspicious mammographic findings, further evaluation using ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced MRI was performed.
Breast cancer was confirmed in 111 women (0.11%), with early-stage disease (I–II) identified in 65.2% of cases. The inclusion of MRI significantly improved diagnostic sensitivity, reaching 95–98%, particularly in patients with dense glandular breast tissue. The findings indicate that MRI provides meaningful additional diagnostic information and should be considered a selective complementary method rather than a routine screening tool.
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