NHS breast cancer scans ‘can spot heart disease’ and could diagnose years earlier

NHS breast cancer scans could check for heart disease at the same time using artificial intelligence, say doctors. All women over 50 get mammogram tests free on the health service to look for tumour warning signs. Nearly two million women in England have a mammogram scan each year (stock image) Credit: Alamy Mammogram scans show irregularities in breast tissue (stock image) Credit: Alamy Now a study suggests computer analysis of the chest scans could also spot trouble with the blood vessels that is invisible to the naked eye. The X-ray images can reveal damage or blockages inside veins, arteries and smaller vessels that could signal heart risk. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! Heart diseases are a top three cause of death in the UK and more than four million women are living with them. It most often develops in middle age but many patients are not diagnosed until they get symptoms. Read more on heart health Doctors at Tel Aviv University in Israel used AI to look for heart conditions in mammogram X-ray scans from 29,921 women. It was 79 per cent accurate at detecting high blood pressure, 78 per cent for coronary heart disease and 86 per cent at identifying someone who had suffered a stroke. Study author Dr Viana Copeland said: “A common finding around the world is that women’s cardiovascular disease is already advanced when they seek medical help. “On the other hand, many women do attend routine breast cancer screening so we investigated whether AI could help mammography serve an additional purpose in the early detection of CVD. Most read in Health “Mammography also reaches many women in midlife which is an important period for recognising and addressing cardiovascular risk.” Nearly two million women have NHS breast cancer tests every year in England, just over six out of every 10 who receive an invitation. Dr Copeland is now working to improve the accuracy of the AI. Professor Elena Arbelo, of the European Society of Cardiology, was not part of the study but said: “A mammogram may one day do more than look for breast cancer, it may also offer a window into cardiovascular health.” Comment now