(Ivanhoe Newswire) With all of the factors that have been studied to
determine what’s involved in evaluating the accuracy of breast cancer screening,
one has been left out. New research examining the facility itself fills in the
blank.
An observational study from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md.,
shows substantial accuracy differences in key areas between mammography
facilities. The likelihood that a mammogram would be correctly read as cancer
free was one area and the other was the likelihood of cancer being present among
women who were referred for biopsy or additional evaluation. Variation between
in identifying existing cancers was low.
When it comes to reading a facility, high accuracy seems to go hand in hand with
offering diagnostic and screening mammograms rather than screening only.
Facilities that had a breast-imaging specialist reading the mammograms proved to
be more accurate than those that did not.
Previous studies on mammogram accuracy looked at the patient’s characteristics
and those of the radiologist reading it. It is hoped that this study, which was
lead by Stephen Taplin, MD, will help women choose better practices and places
to get their mammograms.
SOURCE: Journal of the National Institute of Cancer, June 10, 2008
