CHICAGO — Over the last several years, artificial intelligence has slowly snuck into the annual screening mammograms that women are recommended to get starting in their 40s. At certain practices, women can pay $40 or $50 out of pocket for an AI add-on to identify suspicious spots in their images, and some academic medical centers are beginning to run head-to-head tests of the technology in clinical trials.
In 2026, though, AI will begin to take on new and expanded roles in breast imaging.
At the meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago this month, researchers and companies spoke about the potential for a new class of algorithms to turn the screening mammogram into a multitool for preventive health care. Beyond detecting existing cancer, they say, AI tools can predict an individual’s risk for both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.
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