How Can Advanced Imaging Be Used to Mitigate Potential Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis?

Abstract

Radiologists, as administrators and interpreters of screening mammography, are considered by some to be major contributors to the potential harms of screening, including overdiagnosis and overtreatment. In this article, we outline current efforts within the breast imaging community toward mitigating screening harms, including the widespread adoption of tomosynthesis and potentially adjusting screening frequency and thresholds for image-guided breast biopsy. However, the emerging field of breast radiomics may offer the greatest promise for reducing overdiagnosis by identifying imaging-based biomarkers strongly associated with tumor biology, and therefore helping prevent the harms of unnecessary treatment for indolent cancers.

Keywords: Overdiagnosis; breast cancer; breast imaging; screening risks.