Rayus Radiology joins others in offering $40 mammography AI add-on service
Rayus Radiology is joining others in the specialty, offering a new $40 mammography AI add-on service.
The private equity-backed imaging group is initially launching artificial intelligence-enhanced breast imaging at clinics across Washington state. It will give screening mammography patients the option of paying extra to have FDA-cleared software read over their exams.
The technology highlights subtle areas of concern, supporting earlier detection of breast cancer, the St. Louis Park, Minnesota-based organization noted in an announcement.
“With AI acting as an additional pair of eyes, we can provide patients with even more confidence in their mammogram results,” Kara L. Carlson, MD, a breast radiologist with Medical Scanning Consultants P.A., said in a statement. “For women with dense breast tissue especially, this tool strengthens our ability to find cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.”
Rayus is rolling out the service using Transpara Breast AI, developed by ScreenPoint Medical. The vendor estimates its software has been used to process over 10 million mammograms worldwide. Rayus is initially focusing on the Evergreen State, where it has 14 outpatient imaging centers in the Puget Sound and Peninsula areas. The company hopes to expand this offering in the coming months, part of an “ongoing investment in innovation and commitment to advancing breast health across its national network of clinics.”
“The integration of AI into breast health is one of the most meaningful advancements we’ve seen in years,” Kellie Schenk, MD, national breast section leader for the Rayus Quality Institute, said in the same announcement. “These tools don’t replace the expertise of radiologists, they enhance it. By combining proven algorithms with expert human clinical judgement, we are reshaping breast cancer screening into a more precise, consistent and patient-centered process.”
Rayus (formerly the Center for Diagnostic Imaging) is owned by private equity firm Wellspring Capital Management. It operates approximately 150 freestanding imaging centers, employing over 3,000 team members and 400-plus affiliated radiologists managing 75 million images annually. The company also previously announced an expansion of interventional services in Maine earlier this year.
Rayus not alone
Rayus joins others in launching out-of-pocket mammography add-on services. RadNet Inc. first launched its Enhanced Breast Cancer Detection (EBCD) program in 2023. Initially, the Los Angeles-based company charged $60 to have AI read over mammograms, providing an added layer of protection, later reducing the fee to $40. EBCD utilizes artificial intelligence technology from RadNet subsidiary DeepHealth.
RadNet previously estimated about 40% of women are opting for the AI add-on, which increases their likelihood of cancer detection by 21%, according to research presented at RSNA 2024. Leaders said at the time they’re hopeful commercial payers will eventually pony up so patients don’t have to pay out of pocket, and they’re now forecasting this could occur soon. RadNet earned roughly $4 million from EBCD in the first quarter of 2025, a 33% increase from the $3 million tallied in Q1 of 2024.
Meanwhile, Scottsdale, Arizona-based SimonMed Imaging in July touted the launch of its own AI service with an out-of-pocket fee. The practice is charging $50 for its Mammogram+ scan, which utilizes advanced AI algorithms to spot cancer earlier. This charge includes a personalized breast density report and risk assessment, along with an “actionable follow-up plan.” A higher-tier option, Mammogram+ Heart, costs $90 and incorporates “AI-based assessment of breast arterial calcification,” a potential marker linked to heart disease.
SimonMed had previously used iCAD’s ProFound AI software since 2019. However, following the AI vendor’s $103 million acquisition by rival RadNet, SimonMed reportedly switched to breast AI services offered by Lunit and subsidiary Volpara Health.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.