Hi Sam @smillsbcna
It is Terrific that BCNA will be actively engaging with the national review of BreastScreen .... let's hope that it gets past the post this time for ALL states. Weird that BreastScreen Vic has 'said' they will do it, but haven't implemented it ....
Whilst not every woman may be able to afford an MRI if put to them as an additional 'screening tool', I am sure that many could at least find the cost of an Ultrasound within their ability to pay .... and that alone should hopefully give a more definitive diagnosis than just a mammogram - specially the 2D ones that are all that is available for rural/regional women - who once again have to accept substandard medical care than our city cousins - where gold standard care may be taken for granted. :( It was the BreastScreen Bus in NSW that missed MY Lobular, just 4 months before my GP felt the tumours - and after my surgery, I asked for them to review my films (in full knowledge of my surgery) and they STILL couldn't 'see it' on the films - whilst my GP could 'feel it' with just a manual exam.
What it boils down to, really, is the NEED for us TO HAVE THE CHOICE! Knowledge is power.
Here is the RANZCR document re mandating the reporting of breast density in both screening and diagnostic settings in Australia and New Zealand ... (and BCNA gets a mention in the References at the end.)
I wonder if it was an accepted method of detecting earlier Testicular cancer, if it might be taken more seriously - or would they assume that men couldn't/wouldn't pay for it as well?
