BRAID trial

The purpose of this trial is to determine whether additional imaging with one of several types of scans, is helpful in diagnosing breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. We will do this by comparing breast cancer detection between women who receive the standard of care (3 yearly mammograms) with those who receive the standard of care plus two additional scans in between NHS breast screening rounds.

There are two different imaging techniques being tested in this trial. Both of them use CE marked devices which means that they comply with European directives on health and safety. The devices are already being used on women with breast cancer or high risk of breast cancer. This trial will use these imaging techniques to examine women participating in the NHS breast screening programme (NHSBSP). The results of these extra scans will be compared with each other and with mammogram alone to see which technique (if either) is best.

The two imaging techniques being tested are:
Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM)
A contrast enhanced spectral mammography will seem very similar to your screening mammogram. The same or very similar x-Ray equipment is used and you will be positioned in the same way to take the images. With CESM though, a special dye called a contrast media is used to help the radiologists who look at the images see the difference between normal and abnormal breast tissue. In addition, two images are taken in each position.

Abbreviated Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ABB-MRI)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging test that does not use any radiation (X-Rays). Detailed images of the breasts can be created on a computer using a magnetic field and radio frequency pulses. Usually a breast MRI takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The time and the costs associated with this mean that it cannot be used at present in the national breast screening programme for women who do not have an elevated risk of developing breast cancer. The abbreviated MRI is a new, faster technique developed for a screening examination, this means we can perform the exam in no more than 15 minutes.

Further details about the trial can be found on https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-study-comparing-breast-scans-to-diagnose-small-breast-cancers-in-dense-breasts-braid