Screening mammography detects breast cancer before it has spread to the lymph nodes in about 80% of women evaluated, increasing the 5-year survival to about 85%. Which screening modality is described?

Screening mammography detects breast cancer before it has spread to the lymph nodes in about 80% of women evaluated, increasing the 5-year survival to about 85%. Which screening modality is described?

• A. Diagnostic mammography
• B. Screening mammography
• C. MRI
• D. Ultrasound

Answer: (B)

This item tests understanding of screening versus diagnostic imaging in breast cancer. Screening mammography is used on asymptomatic women at regular intervals to detect cancers early, before symptoms develop or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes. Detecting cancers at a localized, node-negative stage tends to improve prognosis, which aligns with the reported ~80% of cancers found before lymph node involvement and an ~85% 5-year survival. Diagnostic mammography, by contrast, is performed when there’s a symptom or a concerning finding on a prior test and is more targeted rather than population-wide. MRI and ultrasound have roles as adjuncts or problem-solving tools, or for high-risk screening, rather than routine screening in average-risk populations.

This item tests understanding of screening versus diagnostic imaging in breast cancer. Screening mammography is used on asymptomatic women at regular intervals to detect cancers early, before symptoms develop or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes. Detecting cancers at a localized, node-negative stage tends to improve prognosis, which aligns with the reported ~80% of cancers found before lymph node involvement and an ~85% 5-year survival.

Diagnostic mammography, by contrast, is performed when there’s a symptom or a concerning finding on a prior test and is more targeted rather than population-wide. MRI and ultrasound have roles as adjuncts or problem-solving tools, or for high-risk screening, rather than routine screening in average-risk populations.