Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2026
Language
English
Document Type
DNP Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Kellie Kahveci
Abstract
Introduction: In the United States, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society's 2007 guidelines (Onishi & Kataoka, 2020) and the American College of Radiology recommend that MRI screening, alongside annual mammography, be used for women at high risk for breast cancer (Lamb et al., 2023; Sardanelli et al., 2024). Currently, there are various screening models, and no standardized tool or national guideline exists for MRI screening in high-risk patients. This guideline project aims to establish a screening model and recommendations for MRI screening in high-risk women for use in primary care.
Methods: A guideline project was developed using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) framework. A literature review was conducted to gather the current available evidence. The Johns Hopkins Hierarchy of Evidence Guide was utilized to grade the literature. The graded literature was then sent to stakeholders for their ratings using a Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Poor) to 4 (Excellent).
Results: Five recommendations have been developed; these are: Choosing the most adaptable screening model, adding MRI to regular annual mammogram on high-risk patients, implementing standardized documentation and individualized consultations regarding breast density, providing annual education to healthcare providers, and referring high-risk women to genetic consultation.
Conclusion: Friedman’s Two-Way ANOVA by Ranks tests using SPSS indicated no significant differences in stakeholders' responses across the 20 items (X2(19, n=11) =15.804, p=.670). The results were consistent.
Keywords
Breast cancer screening, Breast MRI, High-risk breast cancer screening, and Breast cancer screening guidelines.
Disciplines
Family Practice Nursing | Medicine and Health Sciences | Neoplasms | Other Nursing
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Littlepage, Cemile, "Does Guideline-Directed Breast MRI Improve Early Identification in the High-Risk Breast Cancer Population" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects. 19.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dnpprojects2/19