What Else Are Our Mammograms Trying to Tell Us?

I’ve spent more time than I care to admit staring at patient portals, waiting for test results to populate. Fertility labs. Hormone panels. Bloodwork that’s supposed to explain why something feels off, or confirm what you already suspect. That specific kind of waiting — where you’re functioning, parenting, answering emails, but also mentally preparing for every possible outcome. When the word normal finally appears, there’s relief. But mostly exhaustion. Because being proactive about your health, especially as a woman, is rarely just one test. It’s a series of them. And they rarely tell the full story.

Which is why a recent study stopped me in my tracks: researchers found that routine mammograms may also reveal early signs of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, calcium buildup in the arteries of the breast, something radiologists can see but don’t typically report because it isn’t linked to breast cancer.

Here’s the part that feels both fascinating and frustrating: heart disease is still the number one killer of women, yet women are more likely to be diagnosed later and have worse outcomes. Not because we don’t show up for care (we do), but because the tools used to assess risk often underestimate us. Our symptoms are messier. Our timelines don’t match the studies. Our bodies don’t follow the script.

This research suggests that information we’re already generating — from mammograms we’re already getting! — could help flag risk earlier. No extra appointment. No new scan. Just a fuller picture.

The scans are already happening. The data already exists. The question isn’t whether women need to do more. It’s whether the system is ready to see more.