Breast Cancer Screening Tool Avoids Radiation, Compression, Contrast

InnovationHealthcareBreast Cancer Screening Tool Avoids Radiation, Compression, ContrastByAdaira Landry, MD MEd,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Physician who writes about the rising rates of cancer in young adults.Follow AuthorApr 27, 2026, 04:28pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Woman in pink shirt and ribbon holds her breast as a symbol of necessity for prevention checks for women.gettyDespite being the gold standard recommendation, screening mammograms remain underutilized. A recent MedStar survey found that 59% of eligible women do not schedule their annual mammogram, while CDC data puts overall non-adherence to recommended screening at roughly 23%. The consequences are significant: approximately 380,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, a number that has climbed steadily for more than a decade. Perhaps most concerning is that those who do complete their mammogram on time aren’t fully protected as the test still misses about one in eight breast cancers.These gaps in screening and diagnosis make the latest American College of Physicians’ recommendation – that average-risk women should wait until 50 for routine mammograms and screen only every other year – a concerning shift away from the early, broad screening that has long been considered protective. The American College of Radiology warned the change "may contribute to thousands of additional breast cancer deaths each year."While screening recommendations are in flux, the medical community is increasingly building adjuncts that enhance existing screening tools without adding health risks. One example is Clarity Health, a breast cancer screening tool that uses AI to analyze completed mammograms and assess a patient’s risk of future cancer. Its clinical credibility is growing — the National Comprehensive Cancer Network update...