AI Just Predicted Breast Cancer Before It Started

# Beyond the Scan — Episode 10 ### Tuesday, February 25, 2026

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> **Production Note:** Approximate runtime 6–7 minutes at natural pace. Break tags used: 8. Read aloud before final review.

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Hey there, welcome to Beyond the Scan! I'm Jackie, your host, and I'm so glad you're joining me today, Tuesday, February 25th, 2026.

Quick shoutout to our sponsor RadiologyJobs.com — they're doing amazing work connecting imaging professionals with great opportunities nationwide.

I've got some really exciting stories to share with you today!

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**STORY 1 — Clairity Breast Cancer Score**

Okay, so let's start with this — what if your mammogram didn't just look for cancer that's already there... but actually predicted your future risk of developing it? <break time="1.0s" /> That's not science fiction anymore. That's happening right now.

This week, the very first clinical patient received something called the Clairity Breast Cancer Score — and I love this story because it genuinely changes what we think a mammogram *can do*. Clairity Breast is an AI tool that's been authorized by the FDA through what's called the De Novo pathway, which is basically the FDA's route for clearing novel, lower-risk technologies that don't have a predicate device to compare against. In other words — this is truly new territory.

What it does is analyze a standard mammogram and generate a personalized risk score — identifying women who are at high risk for breast cancer but might be completely missed by traditional screening methods. So instead of just a yes-or-no read, you're getting a *predictive* assessment. Screening becomes a proactive tool, not just a reactive one.

This milestone happened right out of Boston, and it even caught the attention of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, who praised the innovation publicly. That kind of recognition — from outside the medical community — tells you this is breaking through into the mainstream conversation.

My take? This is the kind of AI application that doesn't replace the radiologist — it *supercharges* the whole screening pipeline. I think we're going to be talking about predictive mammography a lot more in the years ahead.

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**Speaking of AI doing things that honestly still feel a little mind-blowing...**

**STORY 2 — AI Reads Brain MRIs in Seconds**

Imagine you've got a patient in the emergency department, a brain MRI is ordered — and within *seconds*, an AI system has already analyzed that scan, identified potential neurological conditions, and flagged the urgency level. <break time="0.8s" /> Seconds. Not hours. Seconds.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed exactly that. Their AI system analyzes brain MRI scans with 97.5% accuracy — and it doesn't just read the image, it also categorizes how urgent the findings are. That second part is huge. Triage information baked right into the read.

Now, why does this matter so much right now? Because we are in the middle of a very real radiology workforce shortage — and MRI backlogs are a genuine problem in many hospitals. A tool like this could be a critical bridge, helping flag the cases that need immediate human attention while the queue gets worked through.

The team also mentioned that future versions will incorporate patient records to improve accuracy even further — which makes a lot of sense. Context always matters in imaging.

I'll be honest — 97.5% accuracy on brain MRIs in seconds is the kind of number that makes you sit up straight. I think the question the field needs to keep asking is: how do we integrate tools like this thoughtfully, so they support radiologists rather than create new blind spots? Something worth thinking about.

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**Alright, now let's shift to something happening on the hardware side — because not all the exciting news is software.**

**STORY 3 — Inova and the GE HealthCare SIGNA Sprint Elite**

Inova Health System just made history as the *first* health system in the country to implement GE HealthCare's brand new MRI system — the SIGNA Sprint Elite. It's a 1.5 Tesla scanner, and what makes it stand out is how it layers AI directly into the imaging process.

One of the key features is something called AIR Recon DL — essentially an AI-powered image reconstruction tool that enhances image quality. The system is designed to advance cardiac, oncologic, and pediatric imaging specifically — three areas where image clarity is absolutely critical.

But here's the detail I really want to highlight: free-breathing options. For patients who struggle to hold their breath — whether that's kids, elderly patients, or anyone with respiratory issues — this is a meaningful improvement in accessibility and comfort. We talk a lot about technology in terms of what it does for image quality, but patient experience matters enormously too.

The folks at Inova are also emphasizing cross-specialty collaboration — the idea that a system like this brings radiologists, cardiologists, oncologists, and pediatric specialists closer together around shared imaging data. That's a workflow story as much as a technology story.

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**Now, here's where I need to pump the brakes a little — because not everything in our field is trending upward...**

**STORY 4 — Residency Funding Skips Radiology**

This one genuinely surprised me, and I think it should concern all of us. The federal government recently funded 1,200 new medical residency slots under something called Section 126 — a significant investment in the physician pipeline. <break time="0.8s" /> Diagnostic radiology's share of those slots? Half of one percent.

That's it. 0.5%. For a specialty that's already facing a documented workforce shortage.

Interventional radiology did receive some positions, which is worth noting — but for diagnostic radiology, the numbers are stark. And according to reporting from The Imaging Wire, applications to DR programs appear to be low as well, which compounds the problem.

So what fills the gap? The conversation keeps coming back to AI and teleradiology as part of the answer — and honestly, that connects directly to the stories we just covered. The AI brain MRI tool, the predictive mammography score — these aren't just cool innovations in isolation. They may be *necessary* infrastructure for a specialty that isn't growing its human workforce fast enough.

I don't think technology alone solves a workforce problem. But I do think this funding gap deserves a much louder conversation than it's getting.

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**And finally — because none of this matters if we can't get paid for it...**

**STORY 5 — Radiology Coding Changes for 2026**

Let's talk money — or more specifically, let's talk billing and coding, which I know isn't the *sexiest* topic, but stick with me, because this affects every radiology practice and department.

Radiology Today has been covering what's changing in radiology billing and coding for 2026, and it's part of a broader look at where the specialty is heading — including cardiac CT, Parkinson's imaging, upgraded ultrasound capabilities, and trends that came out of RSNA 2025. There's also coverage of xenon gas MRI for lung imaging, which is a fascinating emerging area.

Here's my practical takeaway: if you're in practice management, revenue cycle, or even if you're a radiologist trying to understand why certain reads are or aren't getting reimbursed — 2026 is a year to pay close attention. Coding changes can quietly erode revenue if teams aren't up to speed, and with all the new AI tools and imaging modalities entering clinical use, the coding landscape is going to keep evolving.

My advice? Make sure someone in your department owns this. <break time="0.7s" /> It's not glamorous, but it matters.

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Well, that's all we have for today's episode of Beyond the Scan. I've really enjoyed sharing these developments with you.

If you found today's discussion helpful, I'd love it if you'd subscribe and share with your colleagues. And hey, swing by our website at beyondthescan.io where we've got some great additional resources on these topics.

I'll be back next week with more exciting updates. This is Jackie signing off, and remember — what we do really does make a difference in people's lives every day. Take care!

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*Script Word Count: ~1,050 words | Estimated Runtime: ~6.5–7 minutes | Break Tags Used: 4*