Breast Arterial Calcification In Screening Mammograms And Its Correlation With Carotid Intima Media Thickness: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, atherosclerosis is a major contributor to cardiovascular death. In order to detect breast cancer early, screening mammography is optional for all women over 40, according to guidelines set forth by the American Cancer Society (ACS). Mammograms can show Breast Arterial Calcification (BAC). If there is a substantial link found between Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) and BAC, women with BAC and additional risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension may be sent for cardiovascular risk assessment in the future.

Aim: To evaluate BAC in female patients having screening mammography and ascertain whether BAC and CIMT are correlated.

Materials and Methods: Between May 2024 and October 2024, 152 women who had screening mammography at the Vinayaka mission Kirupananda Variyar medical college, Department of Radiodiagnosis participated in a cross-sectional study. The BAC's existence and rating were established using the Mediolateral Oblique (MLO) and Craniocaudal (CC) views are the two standard views that were captured by the mammography machine. Using B-mode ultrasonography and an 8–13 MHz linear transducer, two adjacent sites CIMT was measured at intervals of 1 cm, and the average was computed. Spearman's rho correlation was used to determine the link, and a 5% threshold of statistical significance was examined.

Results: The study population had a mean age of 55.7±11.05 years. Of these, only 37 (24.3%) had evidence of calcification in the arteries that supply the breasts. In the BAC (+) group, the mean CIMT was 0.92±0.25 mm, while in the BAC (-) group, it was 0.72±0.24 mm (p-value=0.001).

Conclusion: The authors developed the BAC grading system after evaluating several previous studies, and the current study found a high positive correlation between BAC and CIMT