Radiology Study Finds that Computers Aid in Early Breast Cancer Detection
Computer-aided detection systems enhance the ability of mammography to detect breast cancer in its early stages, according to a study in the August 2004 Radiology. Early stage treatment is often most effective and least costly.
The study found that computer-aided detection systems increased the breast cancer detection rate by more than one third compared to double reading of mammograms by breast imaging specialists.
- When CAD was used, the false negative rate dropped from 31% to 19%
- CAD correctly identified 71% of the 52 visible cancers that had been missed during the double read. Click here to see study.
According to Dr. Stamatia Destounis, the lead author of the study from the Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic in Rochester, NY, "Finding cancer earlier, we believe, is the best chance for longer cancer-free survival, resulting in less surgery, less chemotherapy and less stress on the patient and her family." Dr. Destounis made the statement in a press briefing sponsored by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
RSNA also reported that the same team of physicians from the Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic recently finalized data from a prospective study of 18,586 screening mammograms, comparing the accuracy of one radiologist using CAD with two radiologists doing a blinded, double-read. This study found that CAD reduced the overall false-negative rate by 5% with the potential for an
additional reduction of 16% had all the marked cancers been acted upon initially.
1Can Computer-aided Detection with Double Reading of Screening Mammograms Help Decrease the False-Negative Rate? Initial Experience," Destounis, SV, et. al., Radiology, 2004; 232: 578-584
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