New Delhi: A one-of-a-kind law, mandating Mammogram centres to inform patients of Breast Arterial Calcification (BAC), took effect in Maryland, US, on 1 October 2026. BAC, which indicates calcium buildup in breast arteries, has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
While BAC has always appeared on mammogram scans, the significance of calcium-laden arteries has been viewed as an incidental finding, with little to no medical significance, Matthew Nudy told The Washington Post. Nudy is a general cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences at the Penn State College of Medicine.
Until recently, BAC’s links to heart disease were inconclusive, Nudy explained. However, larger studies using AI have shown a clearer link between the two. Calcium buildup in breast arteries has now been linked to cardiovascular events such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke.
Several mammogram centres across the US use Food and Drug Administration AI tools to indicate BAC, sometimes even quantifying the extent of buildup. However, this is often an out-of-pocket expense. Maryland is the first state to mandate notification of whether BAC is present or not on all routine mammogram reports.
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‘Women are more likely to get tested for breast cancer’
Even though heart disease remains a leading cause of death among women, studies have consistently shown that women are more likely to consider breast cancer a bigger threat to their health.
The recent legal mandate is thus a positive step which helps achieve two goals at once. Women who are already undergoing mammograms for breast cancer can also learn about the potential risk of heart disease.
“I’m so glad Maryland jumped in and made the first move [for BAC reporting], and I suspect [other states] are going to follow suit,” Tahira Ahmed, a breast radiologist, told The Washington Post.
While the current mandate only requires a “yes” or “no” indication for BAC, Nudy and Ahmed hope that the legislation could pave the way for larger initiatives that also mention the extent of buildup, The Washington Post added.
Offering women an insight into cardiovascular risk could be a positive step in closing the gender gap for diagnosis and prevention of heart disease.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)