Dear AuntMinnie Member, 

We’re only in our second month of 2026, and women’s imaging is already in for a huge year, with recent studies showing how advancements in AI and supplemental breast imaging can lead to better patient outcomes. 

A new study released in JAMA Network Open examined trends in nonsurgical management of low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). And the results point to an upward trend in active surveillance, where imaging will have an important role. Check out what else the researchers from the University of Chicago found in this edition’s featured article.

In news from Europe, a team from Lund University in Sweden found that AI-assisted mammography led to consistently favorable outcomes compared with double reading. These include reducing interval cancer diagnosis by 12% and having higher sensitivity.

Recent studies have also pointed to advantages for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) over mammography. Research from the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) Lead-in showed that DBT leads to more benefits for women ages 40 to 44 and for women over the age of 75. And a study out of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York reported shorter procedure times and reduced radiation exposure for women undergoing DBT-guided biopsy.

Ultrasound also continues to show its utility in breast imaging. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team reported success from a wearable ultrasound device it developed in imaging breast cysts in a patient. And a study out of China found that contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could help improve BI-RADS classification of intermediate breast lesions.

Risk-based breast cancer screening is in the news again as two recent studies suggest equivalent benefits over annual mammography screening and age-based screening. These studies have drawn criticism from imaging societies, which say the respective methodologies of the studies are flawed and should not replace current mammography screening guidelines.

Recent research has also shown how breast MRI maintains its diagnostic performance even with a 75% reduction in gadolinium dosage, how most women have positive attitudes toward learning their breast cancer risk category and screening plan, and the continued underuse of molecular breast imaging.

Finally, did you know that AuntMinnie now has a podcast dedicated to women’s imaging? The biweekly Women’s Imaging MinnieCast will dive into issues affecting radiologists who work in breast or ob/gyn imaging. The first episode features Amy Patel, MD, from Liberty Hospital in Missouri, discussing “radvocacy” in radiology.

Be sure to check out AuntMinnie’s Women’s Imaging content area to get the latest news in research, practice management, and policy.

Amerigo Allegretto
Associate Editor
AuntMinnie.com