title: Low-cost screening mammography: report on finances and review of 21,716 consecutive cases.
abstract: A review of the results of 21,716 mammograms obtained at a low-cost screening center is presented, along with a report on the finances of that center. A total of 142 cancers were discovered, 12 of which gave false-negative results at mammography. The sensitivity was 91.5% and the specificity 90%. The positive predictive value for lesions categorized as "suspicious for malignancy" was 54%. Thirty-one percent of the cancers were "minimal," in other words, in situ or less than 1 cm in diameter and with no tumor-positive lymph nodes. An average of 42 examinations were performed each day at a cost of +28 each. Nonphysician expenses were +16 for each examination, leaving +12 per examination as professional revenue. This project demonstrates that high-quality, low-cost screening mammography can be provided if the volume is adequate and if there is sufficient attention to detail.
authors.affiliation: Charlotte Radiology, NC 28204.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D005251:Fees, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009657:North Carolina; D013223:Statistics as Topic