Comparison of supplemental breast cancer imaging techniques—interim results from the BRAID randomised controlled trial

It is not known which supplemental imaging technique is most beneficial for women with dense breasts attending breast screening. This study compares abbreviated MRI, automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS), and contrast-enhanced mammography versus standard of care in women with dense breasts and a negative mammogram. We report on interim results from the first round of supplemental imaging.

In this UK randomised controlled trial, at ten breast screening sites, women (aged 50-70 years) were independently allocated by batches (day/mobile screening van) to either abbreviated MRI, ABUS, or contrast-enhanced mammography or standard of care (full-field digital mammography) varied by modality availability at each centre. Women were invited if their mammogram was negative and they had dense breasts. Primary outcome was detection rate, defined as the percentage of women with a positive result on supplemental imaging that resulted in histologically confirmed breast cancer. Analysis was by imaging received (intention to treat) using network meta-analysis, treating each site as a study in the meta-analysis, with two analyses carried out: one using only the three active intervention arms (primary analysis) that compared the three supplemental imaging techniques with respect to cancer detection, recall, and biopsy rates in addition to those resulting from full-field digital mammography alone; and one with the addition of the observational data from Cambridge on full-field digital mammography alone. This trial is closed for recruitment and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04097366.