Open Access

Francesco Sardanelli, Hildegunn S. Aase, Marina Álvarez, Edward Azavedo, Henk J. Baarslag, Corinne Balleyguier, Pascal Andreas Thomas Baltzer, Vanesa Beslagic, Ulrich Bick, Dragana Bogdanovic-Stojanovic, Ruta Briediene, Boris Brkljacic, Julia Camps Herrero, Catherine Colin, Eleanor Cornford, Jan Danes, Gerard de Geer, Gul Esen, Andrew Evans, Michael H. Fuchsjäger, Fiona J. Gilbert, Oswald Graf, Gormlaith Hargaden, Thomas H. Helbich, Sylvia H. Heywang-Köbrunner, Valentin Ivanov, Ásbjörn Jónsson, Christiane Katharina Kuhl, Eugenia C. Lisencu, Elzbieta Luczynska, Ritse M. Mann, Jose C. Marques, Laura Martincich, Margarete Mortier, Markus Müller-Schimpfle, Katalin Ormandi, Pietro Panizza, Federica Pediconi, Ruud M. Pijnappel, Katja Pinker, Tarja Rissanen, Natalia Rotaru, Gianni Saguatti, Tamar Sella, Jana Slobodníková, Maret Talk, Patrice Taourel, Rubina Manuela Trimboli, Ilse Vejborg, Athina Vourtsis, Gabor Forrai

• EUSOBI and 30 national breast radiology bodies support mammography for population-based screening, demonstrated to reduce breast cancer (BC) mortality and treatment impact. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the reduction in mortality is 40 % for women aged 50–69 years taking up the invitation while the probability of false-positive needle biopsy is <1 % per round and overdiagnosis is only 1–10 % for a 20-year screening. Mortality reduction was also observed for the age groups 40–49 years and 70–74 years, although with “limited evidence”. Thus, we firstly recommend biennial screening mammography for average-risk women aged 50–69 years; extension up to 73 or 75 years, biennially, is a second priority, from 40–45 to 49 years, annually, a third priority. Screening with thermography or other optical tools as alternatives to mammography is discouraged. Preference should be given to population screening programmes on a territorial basis, with double reading. Adoption of digital mammography (not film-screen or phosphor-plate computer radiography) is a priority, which also improves sensitivity in dense breasts. Radiologists qualified as screening readers should be involved in programmes. Digital breast tomosynthesis is also set to become “routine mammography” in the screening setting in the next future. Dedicated pathways for high-risk women offering breast MRI according to national or international guidelines and recommendations are encouraged.