With the FFDM-CAD combination, detection performance is at least as good as that with SFM. The detection of ductal carcinoma in situ and microcalcification clusters improved with FFDM using CAD, while the recall rate increased.

Breast arterial calcification (BAC) has been associated with diabetes and hypertension. This prompted the authors to study the relation between BAC and cardiovascular mortality in a cohort of 12,239 women aged 50-68 years who participated in a population-based breast cancer screening project (DOM Project) in Utrecht, the Netherlands, during the period 1975-1977. Mortality data from 16-19 years of follow-up were available. The occurrence of outcome events was compared in terms of hazard ratios. Cardiovascular risk factors, including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, parity, Quetelet index, and smoking, were studied to identify possible confounders. Arterial calcification was seen in 9% of the women. The hazard ratio for overall mortality was 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.58) in women with BAC detected on screening mammograms in comparison with women without BAC after correction for the above-mentioned factors. An excess of all-cause mortality was found in diabetic women with BAC (hazard ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence interval 1.19-2.56), which was also present in subgroups of coronary mortality. These results indicate that BAC is associated with an increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular death in women over age 50 years and in diabetic women in particular.

Calcifications in arteries on mammograms are associated with increasing age, pregnancy, and lactation but not with various cardiovascular risk factors.

When used as decision support, interactive use of CAD for malignant masses on mammograms may be more effective than the current use of CAD, which is aimed at the prevention of perceptual oversights.

Objectives:To investigate the referral pattern after the transition to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) in a population-based breast cancer screening programme.Methods:Preceding the nationwide digitalisation of the Dutch screening programme, an FFDM feasibility study was conducted. Detection and referral rates for FFDM and screen-film mammography (SFM) were compared for first and subsequent screens. Furthermore, radiological characteristics of referrals in digital screening were assessed.Results:A total of 312,414 screening mammograms were performed (43,913 digital and 268,501 conventional), with 4,473 consecutive referrals (966 following FFDM). Initially the FFDM referral rate peaked, and many false-positive results were noted as a consequence of pseudolesions and increased detection of (benign) microcalcifications. A higher overall referral rate was observed in FFDM screening in both first and subsequent examinations (p < .001), with a significant increase in cancer detection (p = .010).Conclusion:As a result of initial inexperience with digital screening images implementing FFDM in a population-based breast cancer screening programme may lead to a strong, but temporary increase in referral. Dedicated training in digital screening for radiographers and screening radiologists is therefore recommended. Referral rates decrease and stabilise (learning curve effect) at a higher level than in conventional screening, yet with significantly enhanced cancer detection.