I’ve heard that mammograms can detect breast arterial calcification as a sign of heart disease risk. What should I know about that at my next screening?
While mammograms are primarily used to screen for breast cancer, they may also reveal clues about cardiovascular health. Mammogram images can detect breast arterial calcification (BAC), and greater calcification has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
Interestingly, BAC is not the same process as the plaque buildup that occurs in the coronary arteries supplying the heart. Still, the two share some underlying risk factors and biological pathways, such as inflammation and changes in blood vessel walls. BAC is also associated with many of the same cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Because many women already receive routine mammograms, researchers are studying whether BAC findings might provide additional information about cardiovascular risk without requiring extra testing. Studies show that BAC is detected in approximately 16 percent to 23 percent of screening mammograms, and the rate of detection increases with age.
A 2024 study that followed more than 18,000 middle-aged women over a median of six years found that more extensive and faster progression of BAC was linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, while another large observational study, in 2026, also linked increases in BAC to greater risk of major adverse cardiac events.
When scheduling your next mammogram, you can ask whether BAC will be included in the report. However, BAC findings are not currently reported consistently across breast imaging centers, and when they are provided, they often only indicate whether calcification is present or absent. Keep in mind also that testing for BAC does not replace established screening tools—including those for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes—but if it is included with your mammogram, it may offer one more piece of information to discuss with your doctor when evaluating your cardiovascular risk.
