Utilization of Screening Breast MRI in Women with Extremely Dense Breasts

Purpose of review To review the current evidence for the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a supplemental breast cancer screening method for women with dense breast tissue and otherwise at average risk, and to answer whether the current evidence supports supplemental screening with breast MRI in this patient population. Recent findings The DENSE trial showed a statistically significant decrease in interval cancers with breast MRI screening vs. mammography alone and the EA1141 trial showed a statistically significant increase in cancer detection rate with abbreviated breast MRI compared to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). These trials provide evidence to support MRI as a supplemental breast cancer screening method in this population. Summary MRI screening has a high detection rate for breast cancer in women with dense breasts with otherwise average risk and is recommended to be considered a supplemental screening method by multiple organizations in the USA and Europe.