ORANGE, Calif. — Catching breast cancer early dramatically improves survival rates, with a 90 percent cure rate when tumors are two centimeters or less, doctors say.
AI-Powered Mammograms Offer a Second Look at Breast Health
A new approach combining artificial intelligence and radiologist expertise is giving women an extra layer of protection in the fight against breast cancer.
- Artificial intelligence software can detect breast cancer up to 20% more often and two to three years earlier than traditional methods.
- The technology also reduces false positives by approximately 7%, minimizing unnecessary anxiety and follow-up appointments.
- Human radiologists remain crucial for interpreting AI findings and ensuring accurate diagnoses.
- The added cost for AI-assisted mammograms typically ranges from $50 to $100.
For Sahlee Corpus, 48, the memory of a breast cancer diagnosis remains vivid. “I said, ‘Well just, just tell me doctor.’ I know I’m going to have cancer. I feel like I’m going to have cancer, but I didn’t know that it’s going to be this soon,” Corpus recalled.
Her mother’s experience—never getting screened for breast cancer—fueled Corpus’s commitment to regular checkups. During a recent mammogram at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, she learned about an option to have artificial intelligence analyze her x-rays for an additional $50.
Q: Can AI really improve breast cancer detection?
A: Yes. AI software developed by ICAD identified a centimeter-sized lesion in Corpus’s mammogram that might have been overlooked, offering a crucial advantage in early detection.
“At this time when she was diagnosed, it was about the size of a large pea,” explained Dr. Kenneth Meng, a radiologist at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. “They have good data showing it finds 20% more cancers and cancers two to three years earlier than without the AI program.”
Dr. Meng’s team has been utilizing the ICAD AI algorithm for about a year, and he estimates he’s seen “dozens of cases where it’s made a difference.”
The technology isn’t about creating alarm, either. Studies indicate that AI can actually reduce false positives and unnecessary callbacks by around 7 percent.
In one instance, Dr. Meng described how AI flagged a tiny spot as 91 percent suspicious. However, the radiologist, familiar with the patient’s medical history, correctly identified the area as scar tissue, not a tumor. “It does take the AI and the radiologist together to get the best, most accurate reading,” he said.
Corpus’s cancer was detected early, and her prognosis is positive. She initially hesitated about using AI but is now grateful she did. “Be proactive in managing your health,” she advised.
The ICAD AI technology is currently available at multiple centers throughout Southern California, and the Food and Drug Administration has approved other similar AI programs. The additional cost for this service can range from $50 to $100.