title: Effects of a program to train radiologic technologists to identify abnormalities on mammograms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether radiologic technologists could be successfully trained to identify abnormalities on mammograms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight radiologic technologists from two different institutions took a pretest, underwent an 8-hour training course followed by a period of preceptorship, and then took a posttest. Seven radiologists also took the pretest and posttest, which consisted of evaluating 1,238 two-view screening examinations, including 318 biopsy-proved cancers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, technologists at institution 1 had lower sensitivity (78%) at the pretest, which improved at the posttest (90%). Technologists at institution 2 had lower specificity at the pretest (44%), which improved on the posttest (64%). Hypothetical pairing of radiologists and technologists with use of posttest results revealed an increase in sensitivity (median increase, 12% at institution 1 and 19% at institution 2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Formalized training successfully modified the technologists' skills. Radiologic technologists could be used to increase the number of breast cancers detected at screening mammography.
authors.affiliation: Iris Cantor Center for Breast Imaging, Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center 90024-6952.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Bassett
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hollatz-Brown
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bastani
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirji
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002140:California; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D011871:Radiology / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards