AI Uses Mammograms to Detect Heart Disease in Women

Experts report that routine mammograms could double as a screening tool for cardiovascular disease in women. In a study published this week, researchers used artificial‑intelligence algorithms to analyse standard breast‑cancer scans and successfully identified women at risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and previous stroke.

The AI model was trained on thousands of mammograms and correlated subtle changes in breast tissue and surrounding structures with cardiovascular risk markers. The findings suggest that the same imaging used to detect breast cancer could also flag early signs of heart disease, the leading cause of death among women worldwide and one that is frequently underdiagnosed.

If validated in larger trials, the approach could allow clinicians to address cardiovascular risk at the same time as cancer screening, potentially improving early detection and treatment of heart disease in women.