Which breast cancer screening modality is most widely recommended for average-risk women by USPSTF?

• A. Mammography
• B. Ultrasound
• C. MRI
• D. Tomosynthesis

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is which imaging test USPSTF most strongly endorses for routine screening in average-risk women. Mammography is the standard screening test with the strongest, most consistent evidence that it reduces breast-cancer mortality in the general population. It is recommended for routine use in average-risk women, typically starting around age 40–50 and continuing every two years until about age 74, depending on specific guidelines and discussions with a clinician.

Ultrasound and MRI are not used as routine screening tests for average-risk women. Ultrasound is mainly an adjunct tool to evaluate a lump or to further characterize lesions, and its use as a blanket screening test does not provide the same mortality benefit and can lead to more false positives. MRI is reserved for high-risk individuals (such as those with BRCA mutations or significant family history) because of its higher cost, false-positive rate, and limited benefit in average-risk populations.

Tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, can be used in addition to standard mammography and may improve detection in some cases, but it has not replaced conventional mammography as the universally recommended primary screening modality for average-risk women in USPSTF guidelines.