Diagnosis of breast calcifications: comparison of contact, magnified, and television-enhanced images.
Matched contact and microfocal-spot-magnified images of 31 breasts, each containing a cluster of microcalcifications within a biopsy-proved benign (n = 21) or malignant (n = 10) lesion, were evaluated. Each matched set consisted of one image magnified 1.5 or 2.0 times by a microfocal spot; one contact film-screen mammogram; and one television-digitized, enhanced, and optically magnified contact film-screen mammogram. Three experienced mammographers and three senior diagnostic radiology residents with 2 weeks of training in mammography interpreted the calcifications. The average area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for the experienced mammographers was 0.60 for contact radiographs, 0.61 for the television-digitized images, and 0.69 for the microfocal-spot-magnified radiographs. The less experienced senior residents scored below a random choice, 0.44, for the television-digitized images; 0.51 for contact radiographs; and 0.69 for the microfocal-spot-magnified radiographs. We conclude that when evaluating microcalcifications, radiologists without extensive experience in mammography should not substitute television-digitized and enhanced contact mammograms for microfocal-spot-magnified mammograms; rigorous clinical evaluation is needed before this system is accepted for clinical use.
Kimme-Smith
C
C
Iris Cantor Center for Breast Imaging, Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine 90024-1721.
Gold
R H
RH
Bassett
L W
LW
Gormley
L
L
Morioka
C
C
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D012372:ROC Curve; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011858:Radiographic Magnification; D013690:Television