Trends in breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

Screening mammography is the single most effective method of early breast cancer detection and is recommended on an annual basis beginning at age 40 for women at average risk of breast cancer. In addition to traditional film-screen mammograms, digital mammograms now offer digital enhancement to aid interpretation, which is especially helpful in women with dense breast tissue. Useful emerging adjuncts to mammography include ultrasonography, which is particularly helpful for further assessment of known areas of interest, and magnetic resonance imaging, which shows promise for use in high-risk populations. Image-guided biopsy--directed by ultrasonograpy or stereotactic mammography views--plays a critical role in histologic confirmation of suspected breast cancer.