Comparison of Image Acquisition and Radiologist Interpretation Times in a Diagnostic Mammography Center

Kuzmiak, Cherie M.; Cole, Elodia; Zeng, Donglin; Kim, Eunhee; Koomen, Marcia; Lee, Yeonhee; Pavic, Dag; Pisano, Etta D.

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2010.04.018

« Previous Next »Academic Radiology
Volume 17, Issue 9 , Pages 1168-1174, September 2010

Comparison of Image Acquisition and Radiologist Interpretation Times in a Diagnostic Mammography Center

Cherie M. Kuzmiak, DO
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
- Address correspondence to: C.M.K.
Elodia Cole, MS
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Donglin Zeng, PhD
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Eunhee Kim, PhD
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Marcia Koomen, MD
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Yeonhee Lee, MD, PhD
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Dag Pavic, MD
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
Etta D. Pisano, MD
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #5120, Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510

Received 31 March 2010; accepted 29 April 2010. published online 21 June 2010.

Rationale and Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine the acquisition and interpretation times of screen-film mammography and soft-copy digital mammography in a diagnostic mammography center.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in three phases for patients presenting for clinical diagnostic workup to a mammography clinic. In the first phase, technologist acquisition and processing times and radiologist interpretation time were measured for patients imaged with a screen-film mammographic system. During the second phase of the study, times were measured for patients imaged with a direct radiographic digital mammographic system, with interpretation performed on a soft-copy display system. During the third phase, 3 months after installation of the soft-copy display system, times were measured again for patients imaged on the same direct radiographic digital mammographic system, with interpretation with the same soft-copy system. The same four experienced breast imaging radiologists and seven technologists participated in all phases of the study. All data were entered into a database, and statistical analysis was conducted using weighted linear models and logarithmic transformation.

Results

Times were obtained for 295 patients. There were 100 patients each for phases 1 and 2 and 95 patients for phase 3. Diagnostic mammographic acquisition times with processing were 13.02 min/case for screen film (phase 1), 8.16 min/case for digital (phase 2), and 10.66 min/case for digital (phase 3) (P < .001 and P < .0001, respectively). In addition, the radiologist interpretation time for digital mammography in both phases was not significantly different from that for film mammography (P = .2853 and P = .2893, respectively). There was no significant difference between phases 2 and 3 (P = 1.0000). The mean interpretation times were 3.75 min/case for screen film, 2.14 min/case for digital (phase 2), and 2.26 min/case for digital (phase 3).

Conclusions

Digital mammography significantly shortened the acquisition time for diagnostic mammography. There was no significant difference in interpretation time compared to screen-film mammography in a diagnostic mammography setting.

Key Words: Breast cancer, digital mammography, screen-film mammography, soft-copy display