Single Mammography Reading With Computer-Aided Detection Is Viable Alternative to Double Reading

October 2, 2008 — Previous studies have shown that double reading of mammograms can improve breast cancer detection and is standard practice in about a dozen European countries. However, a study in the current October 1 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that a single reading with computer-aided detection is a viable alternative to double reading for screening mammography. In addition, computer-aided detection can improve the rate of identifying malignant lesions in mammograms read by a single reader.

The researchers found that the proportion of cancers detected by a double reading was 199 (87.7%) of 227 compared with 198 (87.2%) of 227 for a single reader using computer-aided detection. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were also similar between the 2 methodologies.

source: Medscape