Model Predicts Heart Risk From Mammograms

A machine-learning tool developed by The George Institute for Global Health uses mammogram images and age to estimate cardiovascular disease risk in women.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Heart Disease

Model Predicts Heart Risk From Mammograms

Live Poll

Should routine mammograms also be used to screen women for heart disease risk?

Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health have developed a machine-learning model that predicts cardiovascular disease risk from mammogram images and a woman's age. The research was published in Heart, the official journal of the British Cardiovascular Society, earlier this year.

Why it matters

Cardiovascular disease accounted for about one in four female deaths in Australia in 2022, and women are less likely than men to undergo cardiovascular screening in general practice. The approach aims to address a gap in which traditional screening methods often miss women.

The model draws on mammogram images and age, a data source already collected from about 1 million Australian women who attend breast screening each year. Its predictive accuracy and clinical rollout timeline have not been reported.

The players

The George Institute for Global Health

A global health research institute that developed the machine-learning model linking mammogram imaging to cardiovascular risk.

Rebecca White

Assistant Minister for Health who visited The George Institute to learn about the research.

Clare Arnott

An associate professor who sits on the federal government's Ministerial Expert Panel on Women's Health.

The details

The model combines mammogram images with a woman's age to estimate heart disease risk, so a routine mammogram could assess both breast cancer screening and cardiovascular risk. The research was developed with the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney.

Earlier this year: research published in the journal Heart
Last week: Assistant Minister for Health Rebecca White visited The George Institute to learn about the research
Every year: about 1 million Australian women attend breast screening

Health Landscape

Cardiovascular disease is under-recognised in women because its symptoms present differently than in men, a gap that conventional screening has often missed. This research points toward using existing breast screening programs to address that gap.

If the approach is adopted, a woman attending a routine mammogram could also have her cardiovascular risk assessed without a separate appointment. The source does not confirm when or whether this will be available.

The takeaway

Women attending routine breast screening may one day have their heart disease risk assessed at the same visit. Discuss cardiovascular risk with a general practitioner, especially if you have a family history of heart disease.