A new analysis of 1,266 women with mammographic asymmetries found that contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) is highly accurate for detecting breast cancer. The study, a meta-analysis of multiple research papers, looked at how well CEM could identify cancer in women whose standard mammograms showed an area of concern.
The results showed that CEM correctly identified cancer 97% of the time (sensitivity). It also correctly ruled out cancer 80% of the time (specificity). The overall accuracy, measured by the area under the curve, was excellent at 0.96. This means CEM is very good at distinguishing between benign and malignant findings.
Because CEM is more accessible than MRI in many settings, it could help reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies for women with suspicious mammogram results. The study did not report any safety concerns or side effects.
While these results are promising, the analysis is based on existing studies and may have limitations not fully reported. Women should discuss their individual risk and diagnostic options with their doctor.