Digital and Screen-Film Mammography: Comparison of Image Acquisition and Interpretation Times

Abstract

Compared with screen-film mammography, the use of digital mammography for screening examinations significantly shortened acquisition time but significantly increased interpretation time. In addition, more technical problems were encountered that delayed the interpretation of digital cases.

Detection of masses and calcifications by soft-copy reading: comparison of two postprocessing algorithms for full-field digital mammography

“…However, soft-copy reading using the The overall mean kappa value is based on all 42 pair of comparisons for the seven radiographers enhancement tools increases the interpretation time of digital mammograms. 5 Pisano et al reported no significant difference in the interpretation time between printed digital mammograms and soft-copy reading, but they emphasized that appropriate training for soft-copy reading and soft-copy workstations must therefore become more user-friendly. 14 As a result, soft-copy workstations have recently improved and indeed become more user-friendly; and the workstations have developed advanced image-processing algorithms to equalize the image background and breast tissue thickness to reduce the interpretation time.…”

“…Soft-copy reading using the enhancement tools results in increasing the interpretation time of digital mammograms. 5 Softcopy workstations have improved over the years to become more user-friendly. In addition, the workstations have developed advanced image processing algorithms to equalize image background and breast tissue thickness and to highlight specifi c features such as microcalcifi cations to reduce the interpretation time.…”

Digital mammography: what do we and what don’t we know?

“…Most of the advantages of digital mammography are related to getting rid of film. With integrated digital systems, the lack of film cassette handling allows for a higher patient throughput [54] and lets the technologist concentrate more on the patient. Especially interventional procedures such as preoperative wire localizations are much faster with integrated digital systems without the need for films to be developed between each step of the procedure.…”

Why Does It Take Longer to Read Digital Than Film-Screen Screening Mammograms? A Partial Explanation

“…Approximately 7% of US mammography practices had at least one digital system as of April 2005 1 . That percentage has risen gradually to 43% by October 2008 2 .…”

“…Two European studies have recently confirmed a diagnostic advantage for digital mammography 5,6 . An offsetting disadvantage is that digital screening mammograms (DM) take longer to interpret than film-screen screening mammograms (FSM) 1,7 . Previous studies have not, however, evaluated what part or parts of the process of interpreting DM causes the expenditure of extra time.…”