Skip to main content

AI Support Improves Breast Cancer Detection Accuracy in Mammography

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on July 14, 2025.

via HealthDay

MONDAY, July 14, 2025 -- Artificial intelligence (AI) support improves radiologists' breast cancer detection accuracy when reading mammograms, according to a study published online July 8 in Radiology.

Jessie J.J. Gommers, Ph.D., from the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and colleagues compared radiologist performance and visual search patterns when reading screening mammograms with and without an AI decision support system in a retrospective mutireader multicase study involving 12 breast screening radiologists with four to 32 years of experience from 10 institutions. Screening mammograms acquired between September 2016 and May 2019 were assessed unaided and with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved, European Commission-marked AI decision support system, which assigns a region suspicion score from 1 to 100.

The study included mammography examinations from 150 women (75 with breast cancer and 75 without breast cancer). The researchers found that the mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was higher with AI support (unaided, 0.93; AI-supported, 0.97). No evidence was seen for a difference in mean sensitivity, specificity, or reading time. Lower breast fixation coverage was seen with AI support (11.1 versus 9.5 percent of the breast area), while higher fixation time in the lesion region was observed (4.4 versus 5.4 seconds). No evidence was seen for a difference in time to first fixation within the lesion region.

"AI not only helped radiologists focus on the right cases but also directed their attention to the most relevant regions within those cases, suggesting a meaningful role for AI in improving both performance and efficiency in breast cancer screening," Gommers said in a statement

Several authors disclosed ties to the medical device industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Risk for Death From Prostate Cancer Low With Guideline Care for Nonmetastatic Disease

MONDAY, July 14, 2025 -- Men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer receiving guideline-concordant care have a much higher risk for death from causes other than prostate cancer...

Consistent Physical Activity Linked to Reduced All-Cause, CVD Mortality

FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 -- Consistently and increasingly accumulated physical activity (PA) is associated with a reduced risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)...

Increased Liver Enzyme Levels Seen With Use of Cannabidiol in Adults

THURSDAY, July 10, 2025 -- Use of cannabidiol (CBD) within the range consumers are taking with unregulated CBD products is associated with increased liver enzyme levels, according...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.