Breast MRI use grew quickly in the early 2000s before stabilizing in recent years, but questions remain about whether American Cancer Society criteria for use are being followed, according to a study published online Nov. 18 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The ACR Appropriateness Criteria for palpable breast masses, which provides thorough recommendations for particular imaging methods and patient situations, was published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Matakina International today announced that ProMedica Breast Care on the campus of ProMedica Toledo Hospital became the first in Ohio to offer VolparaDensity™ breast imaging software, designed to help overcome the limitations of mammography to detect cancer in women with dense breasts. Serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, the Toledo Hospital Breast Care Center is the region’s premier imaging facility devoted exclusively to patients with breast health concerns and issues and has been named a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology.

Increasing use of preoperative breast MRI has been associated with significant increases in bilateral cancer diagnoses and subsequent invasive surgeries with questionable long-term benefits, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.

A multicenter reader study designed to examine the effect of CAD on the diagnostic accuracy of breast MRI indicated improved sensitivity and comparable accuracy among novice and expert readers reviewing images without and with CAD, according to a study published in the June issue of American Journal of Roentgenology. CAD software did not increase interpretation time.

Image-guided breast biopsies are stressful events for women, but better communication with the radiologist recommending the procedure seems to lower patient anxiety, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Four respected organizations promote different guidelines for routine breast cancer screening. The conflicting recommendations place physicians in a bit of a quandary as the broad set of valid options may leave clinicians feeling vulnerable to malpractice suits. A viewpoint published online May 30 in JAMA sorted through the guidelines and offered some suggestions.

Breast density has received national attention from the New York and California density inform bills going into effect and the passage of the Hawaii, Maryland, Tennessee and Alabama bills.  With significant coverage of studies evaluating the impact of dense breast tissue on cancer screening, it seems that breast density is in the news nearly every day.