Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women around the world. Yet many women do not realize they are at risk until a serious problem happens, such as a heart attack or stroke. Doctors have long known that women are often underdiagnosed and undertreated when it comes to heart disease.
Now, a new study suggests that a test many women already receive regularly—the mammogram—could also help detect the risk of heart disease with the help of artificial intelligence.
A mammogram is an X‑ray scan used to check the breasts for early signs of cancer. In many countries, women over the age of 40 or 50 are encouraged to have regular mammograms as part of routine screening.
The goal is to detect breast cancer early, when treatment is more effective and survival rates are higher. Millions of women attend these screenings every year, making mammography one of the most widely used medical screening tests for women.
Researchers have recently discovered that mammograms may reveal more than just breast cancer. The scans can also show tiny calcium deposits inside the arteries of the breast.
These deposits are known as breast arterial calcification. Calcium buildup in arteries is a sign that the blood vessels may be hardening, which can be linked to cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease includes serious conditions such as heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes.
Scientists have been interested in these calcium deposits for years, but measuring them accurately and consistently has been difficult. Now artificial intelligence may offer a solution. AI systems can analyze medical images quickly and detect patterns that may be difficult for the human eye to measure precisely.
A research team led by Dr. Hari Trivedi from Emory University in Atlanta, United States, decided to explore whether AI could analyze mammograms and use these calcium deposits to predict heart disease risk in women. Their findings were published in the journal European Heart Journal.
The study included 123,762 women who had undergone routine breast cancer screening. None of the women had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease at the time of the screening. The researchers used artificial intelligence software to examine the mammogram images and measure the amount of calcium buildup in the breast arteries.
The AI system grouped the women into four categories depending on how much calcium was present: none, mild, moderate, or severe. The researchers then followed the health records of these women to see who later developed serious cardiovascular problems. These problems included heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, or death caused by heart disease.
The results showed a clear pattern. Women with mild calcium buildup in the breast arteries had about a 30 percent higher chance of developing serious cardiovascular disease compared with women who had no calcium buildup.
Women with moderate calcium buildup had more than a 70 percent higher risk. Women with severe calcium buildup faced the greatest danger, with a risk two to three times higher than women without calcium deposits.
One surprising finding was that the increased risk was also seen in women under the age of 50. This group is often considered to have a lower risk of heart disease, but the presence of calcium deposits in their breast arteries still predicted a higher likelihood of future heart problems.
The link remained strong even after researchers considered other common risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
The study is one of the largest investigations of its kind and included women from multiple racial backgrounds across two major health systems in the United States. This broad dataset strengthens the reliability of the findings and suggests the results may apply to many populations.
An important advantage of this approach is that it requires no additional tests. Women already attend mammography screenings for breast cancer detection. Using AI to examine the same images for artery calcification means doctors could identify heart disease risk without extra cost, extra appointments, or extra radiation exposure.
Dr. Trivedi explained that this could help address an important gap in women’s healthcare. Many women regularly receive mammograms but may not receive routine screening for cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol levels.
In fact, a large number of women do not know their cholesterol levels at all. If mammograms could also provide heart health information, doctors might identify risk earlier and start preventive treatments sooner.
In an editorial published alongside the study, Professor Lori B. Daniels from the University of California, San Diego, emphasized how valuable this opportunity could be. She pointed out that mammography programs already reach millions of women every year.
By using this existing system, doctors could potentially detect cardiovascular risk in women who might otherwise never receive screening for heart disease.
From a public health perspective, this discovery could be extremely important. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women globally. Yet many prevention strategies focus more on men, partly because heart disease symptoms in women can be different and sometimes less obvious.
The use of AI to detect artery calcification in mammograms could change this situation. If doctors identify women at risk earlier, they could recommend lifestyle changes, cholesterol testing, medications, or other preventive measures before serious problems occur.
However, the researchers note that more work is needed before this method becomes routine in hospitals and clinics. The AI systems must be integrated into existing imaging software, and clear guidelines must be developed for how doctors should report and act on the findings.
Clinical trials are also planned to test how well this approach works in everyday healthcare settings.
Overall, the study provides strong evidence that breast arterial calcification measured by artificial intelligence is linked to cardiovascular disease risk and death. The findings suggest that mammograms could become a valuable tool not only for detecting breast cancer but also for identifying women who may be silently developing heart disease.
From a scientific perspective, the study highlights how existing medical tests can reveal much more information than originally intended when combined with modern technology such as artificial intelligence. It also demonstrates the growing role of AI in medicine, where it can assist doctors by analyzing large amounts of data quickly and accurately.
At the same time, it is important to interpret the findings carefully. The study shows a strong association between calcium deposits and cardiovascular risk, but it does not mean the deposits directly cause heart disease.
Instead, they may serve as a warning sign that the body’s blood vessels are undergoing harmful changes. Further research will help determine how best to use this information in clinical practice.
If future studies confirm these results, the impact could be significant. A routine mammogram could become a powerful dual screening tool, helping detect both breast cancer and early signs of cardiovascular disease. For many women, this could mean earlier treatment, better prevention, and a lower risk of life‑threatening heart events.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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