CEM - Contrast Enhanced Mammography - anyone heard of it? Supposed to be good for Dense Breasts

Hi @Cath62 
Here's some research I found - https://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/26/6/930#:~:text=Treatment%20with%20tamoxifen%20reduces%20breast,women%20with%20high%20breast%20density.

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/robinson-research-institute/news/list/2020/12/09/women-should-be-told-about-their-breast-density-when-they-have-a-mammogram

Hopefully the links will work.  There's actually a lot of studies on this but mainly from overseas.
Have a good day  :)

Very interesting ladies. I have dense breasts and cysts pre bc. Still have but I am on tamoxifen. Do you know of any research @arnlybub or papers on tamoxifen reducing breast density?

Breast density certainly does reduce as you age -  I don’t have particularly dense breasts but the way my surgeon talks, they are almost translucent now! I’m on Femara not Tamoxifen so can’t help with that aspect. 

Yep, I had no idea that density could change either!  Initially I thought it was due to ageing but from the studies I've read the reduction in density indicates a good response to Tamoxifen.  I'm going to ask my MO about it when I see her next.

Wow @arnlybub - I didn't know that Tamoxifen could change the density of your breasts!!!  I thought you either were or you weren't!!

Has anyone else heard this being said if you are on Tamoxifen?

I had it for my for two annual mammograms post treatment.  I didn't need it this year as I was told my breasts are no longer dense due to tamoxifen.  

I’ll ask about it at my next mammogram ... definitely worth it for the earlier more efficient diagnosis and peace of mind. 

I think it is fairly new technology.  I had it done at royal Melbourne hospital public.  Last week when I saw surgeon for a review he asked me about it.  He is from Scotland training to use it and he said Dr hope this will be the normal way they perform mammograms in the future. Before this bc roller coaster I had a fear of needles. I still wanted the injection if it could detect bc early.  Now every man and his dog want to jab me.  Still have a fear but I ask for a kiddie butterfly needle where possible and that doesn't seem to hurt as much. 

Yes, I had a contrast mammo in 2019 at Melbourne Private. It was fine. 

Woohoo!  Glad someone else knew about it!!   @berry mentioned it in the ILC group a while back,  but this was the only other mention if it that I’d heard of!

If it gives a better result, earlier ... it should be advocated for by BCNA?!