AI can use mammograms to predict the risk of serious cardiovascular disease in women by quantifying breast arterial calcification.
Key Details
- 1A study of 123,762 women showed mammogram-based AI quantifies calcification in breast arteries.
- 2Severity of calcification correlated with increasing risk: mild (30% higher), moderate (70% higher), severe (2-3x higher risk).
- 3The study covers women with no known cardiovascular disease, across multiple races and two major US health systems.
- 4Mammography programs reach tens of millions of women, more than traditional heart-disease screening.
- 5Researchers suggest integrating the AI tool into existing imaging workflows for simultaneous cancer and CVD risk screening.
- 6A clinical trial is planned for real-world AI workflow integration.
Why It Matters
This AI approach could transform mammography from a single-purpose screening method into a dual-use tool, identifying both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease risks in women. Early detection of heart disease through existing infrastructure could improve outcomes for women, a group underdiagnosed for cardiovascular problems.
Source
EurekAlert
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