Birmingham OB/Gyn Launches Mammogram-Based Heart Disease Screening for Women

Birmingham OB/Gyn, in partnership with Onsite Women's Health, has launched Mammo with Heart, a screening program that uses artificial intelligence to detect breast arterial calcifications (BAC) during routine mammography. The initiative aims to identify cardiovascular risk in women without requiring additional imaging, radiation, or appointments. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women in Central Alabama, including Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, St. Clair, Walker, and Tuscaloosa Counties, according to the Alabama Public Health Community Health Profiles 2023. Female heart disease mortality rates in these counties range from 152.0 deaths per 100,000 women in Tuscaloosa County to 503.4 deaths per 100,000 women in Walker County.

“Women trust their OB/Gyn for preventive care throughout their lives,” said Ashley Przybysz, M.D., Birmingham OB/Gyn. “This program allows us to provide even more value from a screening test women are already receiving. By identifying potential cardiovascular risk earlier, we can help patients have important conversations with their healthcare providers before serious cardiovascular disease develops.” The program uses FDA-cleared CureMetrix cmAngio technology, which analyzes mammography images for BAC. Research indicates that BAC may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk, offering an opportunity for earlier risk assessment and prevention. BAC is present in approximately 12% to 42.5% of screening mammograms, yet many such findings have historically gone unreported.

As part of the initiative, Birmingham OB/Gyn is developing a coordinated cardiovascular care pathway with Alabama Cardiovascular Group (ACG), an affiliate of Grandview Health, to ensure women identified as having elevated risk receive timely specialty evaluation and preventive care. “For many women, their OB/Gyn is the healthcare provider they see most consistently,” said David Carmichael, CEO of Birmingham OB/Gyn. “This program gives us an opportunity to identify cardiovascular risk earlier and connect patients with appropriate preventive care before heart disease develops.” Birmingham OB/Gyn performs more than 8,400 screening mammograms annually and delivered babies for families residing in 28 Alabama counties in the past year. Mammo with Heart is now available to patients undergoing screening mammography at Birmingham OB/Gyn. For more information, visit https://www.birminghamobgyn.com or call 205-933-8334.