Introduction to Mammograms and Heart Disease
Nancy Preston didn’t have a heart attack. Nor did she have chest discomfort, shortness of breath or heart palpitations — all symptoms of heart disease. Instead, a routine mammogram led to Preston having quintuple bypass surgery last summer.
Preston does have a family history of heart disease. Her mother had a heart attack and a double bypass, and an older sister had a heart attack and has a pacemaker.
Understanding Breast Arterial Calcifications
Preston got her annual mammogram at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Doctors detected breast arterial calcifications, or BAC, on Preston’s mammogram. Breast arterial calcifications are calcium buildups within the breast arteries that may be associated with heart disease. Mount Sinai is conducting a behavioral study to understand how women react to being notified about the arterial calcifications with their mammogram results.
What are Breast Arterial Calcifications?
Breast arterial calcifications are different from the calcifications common to other areas of the breast. Macrocalcifications, which appear as white dots on a mammogram, are typically benign, according to the National Cancer Institute. Microcalcifications appear as white specks and may indicate cancer in some cases. About half of women develop benign breast calcifications.
The Link Between Mammograms and Heart Disease
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women ages 40 through 74 get a mammogram every other year to screen for breast cancer. While federal law mandates that certain information, such as breast density, be included in mammography reports, providers don’t have to mention breast arterial calcifications. Dr. Laurie Margolies, chief of breast imaging at the Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai and a leader of the study, hopes to change that.
How Breast Screening Helps Detect Heart Disease
A 2018 review published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging advocated for mammography as a screening tool for heart disease. A 2022 study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging found an association between breast arterial calcification and heart disease in postmenopausal women ages 60 to 79, while 2024 research published in the journal JACC: Advances noted that BAC was “especially predictive” of heart disease in younger women ages 40 to 59.
Expert Insights and Research
Dr. Naomi Ko, section chief of breast medical oncology at NYU Langone Health, said the Mount Sinai study adds to a growing body of evidence that cardiovascular disease clues lie in the breasts. The budding link between breast arterial calcification, also called vascular calcification, and heart disease is just that. “It’s not a slam dunk,” Ko said. More research is needed, and women shouldn’t panic if they learn they have BAC.
Conclusion
Mammogram findings should prompt discussions about both a patient’s heart and breast health, said Dr. Melanie Chellman, a Cleveland Clinic breast radiologist who isn’t involved in the study. The great thing about mammograms is that we’re already doing them on the particular women who are at the highest risk for heart disease: ages 40 and older. We can use those same pictures to look for calcifications that are vascular.
FAQs
Q: What are breast arterial calcifications?
A: Breast arterial calcifications are calcium buildups within the breast arteries that may be associated with heart disease.
Q: Can mammograms help detect heart disease?
A: Yes, mammograms can help detect heart disease by identifying breast arterial calcifications.
Q: What is the link between breast arterial calcification and heart disease?
A: Research has found an association between breast arterial calcification and heart disease in postmenopausal women ages 60 to 79, and in younger women ages 40 to 59.
Q: Should women be notified of breast arterial calcifications in their mammogram results?
A: Yes, women should be notified of breast arterial calcifications in their mammogram results, as it may indicate an increased risk of heart disease.
