One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and while yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 are still the gold standard for early detection – stage 1 has a 99% survival rate – they are not foolproof. According to the National Cancer Institute, mammograms miss about 20% of cancers.
A doctor may order an ultrasound – considered more cost effective and efficient and definitely less painful — in the case of dense breast tissue or abnormal findings. But it is not the primary standard of care.
So how to improve mammography? Lenox Hill Radiology (LHR) – part of Radnet, with 80 locations in the metro area, including Westchester and Rockland counties – thinks AI is the answer. It offers EBCD (Enhanced Breast Cancer Detection), powered by DeepHealth, which uses Saige-Dx AI technology to deliver what it says is a more accurate reading. (According to a Swedish study of 80,000 women, cancer detection rates were 20% higher using AI than they were when two radiologists read them, the standard European practice.)
According to the brochure I was handed when I asked for more information at LHR’s Hartsdale location, EBCD also offers additional review for certain suspicious findings; risk assessment that factors in breast density; and a team of specialists to provide answers and support.
The cost is $40, which is not covered by insurance, at least not yet, disadvantaging women who can’t afford it. For those who can, AI may offer extra assurance in what is often an anxiety-ridden annual event.
For more, visit https://www.radnet.com/lenox-hill-radiology/.
