Can You Rely On Your Mammogram To Identify Heart Disease Risk?

By Michelle Andrews, KFF Health News When people check in for their annual mammogram these days, some may face a surprising question: In addition to reviewing the mammogram for breast cancer, would the patient like the radiologist to examine the images for heart disease risk? That’s what happened recently when a colleague visited Washington Radiology, a practice with more than a dozen locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. For $119, she was told, the practice would use artificial intelligence software to analyze her mammogram for calcification in the arteries of her breasts, which could indicate she’s at risk for cardiovascular disease. Washington Radiology is one of a number of practices nationwide offering this type of screening.