A latest study has shown that breast arterial calcification (BAC) on digital mammography is better than normal cardiovascular risk factors and is as effective as two mainly used risk calculators in identification of women who have coronary artery calcification (CAC).

In an article appeared online on March 24 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging, the study authors reported that there is strong data showing an association between BAC and coronary artery disease and many studies linking BAC with CAC, but the latest study has become the first to show the strong quantitative relationship between BAC and CAC.

The findings will be presented at the forthcoming American College of Cardiology 2016 Scientific Sessions.

While speaking to heartwire from Medscape, lead author and radiologist Dr. Laurie Margolies of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, said, “Women's cardiac health has been relatively neglected both in research and in practice, and this is potentially very accessible way with no extra money, no extra radiation to determine women's risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so I think the time perhaps is right for it”.

Radiologists should differentiate BAC from calcification in breast tissue at the time of reading a mammogram. However, BAC results haven’t been reported so far.

Dr. Margolies is expecting that more attention towards this matter will prompt demand for BAC to be made part of mammography reports on routinely basis, just like breast density reporting is now is a must in minimal 20 US states.

In a press briefing about the research, American College of Cardiology Vice President Dr. Mary Norine Walsh said that breast cancer and heart disease screening at one time could be considered a ‘two-fer’ for women.