In the last year, radiologists have seen considerable strides being made toward expanding treatment options for women at risk of developing breast cancer. The concern over breast density has grown, leading to a need for standards on notifying individuals if they are susceptible to malignancies.
According to Diagnostic Imaging, density notification laws have been put into effect in 18 states so far, with 14 having legislation introduced by government officials. These laws require that physicians distribute alerts to women who have undergone mammograms, with results indicating that they have dense breast tissue. The purpose of these notices is to give patients the necessary information to determine their next course of action.
“The manner in which the information is shared is important. There might be value in not just sending a letter through the mail, but giving it to her. She then has an opportunity to actually talk about it,” said Richard Frank, M.D., founding member of the Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance of the Radiological Society of North America, quoted by the news source.
Density makes it difficult to identify cancer on a mammogram, and may also be correlated to the risk of breast cancer development, as explained by the American College of Radiology. Should women have dense breasts, the ACR encourages them to talk with their primary physicians about future treatment strategies.
Missouri enacts notification law
HealthImaging reported that Missouri governor Jay Nixon has signed a new density notification bill that is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2015. This will make Missouri the 19th state to pass such legislation that requires dense tissue information to be included with mammography reports that are given to patients.
These laws are beginning to gain serious momentum around the nation as more states join the cause. Connecticut and Texas were the first states to pass reporting laws in 2009 and 2011, respectively. However, in 2013, eight more states followed suit, including California, Virginia, Tennessee and New York. In 2014 alone, five bills – in addition to Missouri – have been signed into law in New Jersey, Arizona, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
With dense tissue becoming the focal point for many care strategies, it is imperative that radiologists ensure their PACS systems are up to date. Being able to accurately identify and diagnose tumor growths can make the difference in saving women’s lives from this potentially deadly disease.
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Ronny Bachrach
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