Birmingham OB/Gyn, in partnership with Onsite Women's Health, has launched Mammo with Heart, a new screening program that uses artificial intelligence to identify breast arterial calcifications (BAC) during routine mammography. The program aims to provide women and their healthcare providers with additional insight into cardiovascular risk without requiring added imaging, radiation, or appointments.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women across Central Alabama, including Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, St. Clair, Walker, and Tuscaloosa Counties. According to the Alabama Public Health Community Health Profiles 2023, female heart disease mortality rates range from 152.0 deaths per 100,000 women in Tuscaloosa County to 503.4 deaths per 100,000 women in Walker County. The initiative leverages FDA-cleared CureMetrix cmAngio technology to analyze mammography images for BAC, which research suggests may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
“Women trust their OB/Gyn for preventive care throughout their lives,” said Ashley Przybysz, M.D., Birmingham OB/Gyn. “This program allows us to provide even more value from a screening test women are already receiving. By identifying potential cardiovascular risk earlier, we can help patients have important conversations with their healthcare providers before serious cardiovascular disease develops.”
Breast arterial calcifications are present in approximately 12% to 42.5% of screening mammograms, yet historically many of these findings have not been routinely reported. The Mammo with Heart program allows a routine mammogram to provide information about both breast health and heart health from a single exam.
As part of this initiative, Birmingham OB/Gyn is working to develop a coordinated cardiovascular care pathway with Alabama Cardiovascular Group (ACG), an affiliate of Grandview Health, to ensure that women identified as having elevated cardiovascular risk have access to timely specialty evaluation and preventive care when appropriate.
“For many women, their OB/Gyn is the healthcare provider they see most consistently,” said David Carmichael, CEO of Birmingham OB/Gyn. “This program gives us an opportunity to identify cardiovascular risk earlier and connect patients with appropriate preventive care before heart disease develops.”
Birmingham OB/Gyn performs more than 8,400 screening mammograms annually and delivered babies for families residing in 28 Alabama counties during the past year. Mammo with Heart is now available to patients undergoing screening mammography at Birmingham OB/Gyn. For more information, visit https://www.birminghamobgyn.com.
