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Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital are enrolling women in a clinical trial to determine whether ultrasound has a role as a breast cancer screening tool for women at high risk for breast cancer.

The nationwide study trial seeks to evaluate whether ultrasound is an effective screening tool -- especially for women who have dense breast tissue, said Catherine W. Piccoli, M.D., director, division of Breast Imaging at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and clinical associate professor of Radiology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.  Dr. Piccoli is leading the breast ultrasound trial at Jefferson.

“The goal of breast cancer screening is to identify tumors at an early stage, when there is a greater likelihood that the disease has not spread and chances of survival are high. Mammography does not always do that for women with dense breasts. This study will help determine if ultrasound should be used routinely in addition to mammography for these women,” said Dr. Piccoli.

Mammography, a widespread breast cancer screening exam, employs x-rays to detect abnormalities and can some times miss tumors in women with “dense,” or non-fatty, breast tissue, the Jefferson radiologist said. Ultrasound, which uses sound waves to form a picture, has been shown in some studies to find early breast cancers in dense breast tissue that mammography misses, she said.

While Lisa Parrish, 25, of Matawan, N.J., has not been diagnosed with breast cancer, she is still at high risk for breast cancer due to her family history and is participating in the trial. “My mother passed away as a result of breast cancer at 41 years old and several of my relatives have developed breast cancer. I want to do everything I can to help detect a problem early.”To be eligible for the study, women must have breast tissue that appears dense on a mammogram and be at high risk for breast cancer. Women at high risk include those who have a history of breast cancer, have a strong family history of breast cancer and those who have had a breast biopsy showing pre-cancerous cells.

Women entering the study will have both a mammogram and an ultrasound each year for three years, and will answer questions about their health.  The trial is being conducted in conjunction with the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) and is co-sponsored by the Avon Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.

Jefferson’s Breast Imaging division performs approximately 33,000 mammograms, 2,000 sonograms, 700 needle-guided biopsies of nonpalpable lesions, 150 stereotactic or ultrasound-guided core biopsies and 500 breast MRI examinations yearly, making it one of the most active services of its kind in the country. The division has six state-of-the-art mammographic units, a stereotactic core biopsy unit with digital imaging capability, two high-resolution breast ultrasound units and a general radiographic unit. Ongoing research projects in the division include digital mammography and breast cancer screening.

For more information about the study, women may call 215-955-8606 or 1-800-JEFF-NOW.