ACR & SBI: Mammo not dangerous to thyroid

Clint vanSonnenberg | | Health Imaging | Screening
Comparison of a 2D digital mammogram and breast tomosynthesis 3D mammography showing ability to better evaluate details in areas of dense breast tissue, rather than seeing areas of dense breast tissue overlapping, which can mimic or hide a cancer. Photo from UCSF.

Comparison of a 2D digital mammogram and breast tomosynthesis 3D mammography showing ability to better evaluate details in areas of dense breast tissue, rather than seeing areas of dense breast tissue overlapping, which can mimic or hide a cancer. Photo from UCSF.

In response to an erroneous media report, the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) released a joint statement urging patients to disregard trumped up risks of thyroid cancer due to mammography-induced radiation.

The uncited report had claimed that mammography-induced radiation could significantly increase the likelihood of developing thyroid cancer. “This concern simply is not supported in scientific literature,” ACR and SBI said in a statement.

The associations put the estimated X-ray scatter delivered to the thyroid at less than 0.005 mGy, equivalent to 30 minutes of natural background radiation and resulting in a cancer risk of less than one in 17 million. ACR and SBI further cautioned patients against using thyroid shields, which the organizations said could interfere with optimal breast positioning and create artifacts, thereby potentially compromising diagnosis.
 

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Clint vanSonnenberg

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