title: Sensitivity, specificity, predictive value and accuracy of film/screen mammography. A three-year experience.
abstract: Mammographic and pathologic findings of 312 breast lesions biopsied at the University of Kentucky Medical Center over a three-year period (Jan 1, 1984 through Dec 31, 1986) were correlated. Each of the 312 mammographic examinations was classified as a true positive, true negative, false positive, or false negative interpretation based on the final pathologic diagnosis. The data on 88 wire directed biopsies for clinically occult mammographic lesions and data on 224 biopsies of palpable lesions performed without wire localization were evaluated separately and in combination. From this data the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and accuracy of mammography for detecting breast cancer were calculated. Results of all breast biopsies 1984-1986 gave a sensitivity of 84%, specificity of 59%, positive predictive value of 40%, negative predictive value of 92%, and an accuracy of 65% for film-screen mammography. Wire directed biopsies increased the false positive diagnosis from 22 to 96 but also accounted for the detection of 14 clinically occult breast cancers, of which 84% had negative lymph nodes.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Stelling
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011786:Quality Control; D014962:X-Ray Film