title: Soft copy versus hard copy reading in digital mammography.
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare soft copy reading at a mammography work station with hard copy reading of full-field digital mammographic images. Mammograms of 60 patients ( n = 29 malignant, n = 31 benign) performed with full-field digital mammography (Senographe 2000D, GE, Buc, France) were evaluated. Reading was performed based on hard copy prints (Scopix, Agfa, Leverkusen, Germany) and on 2 k x 2.5 k high-resolution monitors (Sun Ultra 60, Sun Microsystems, Palo Alto, California, USA). Four readers with different levels of experience in mammography categorized the mammograms according to the BI-RADS classification. The comparative study was performed by four readers, and at least 2 months elapsed between the reading sessions. Postprocessing, of course, was available only at the work station (windowing and leveling, zooming, inversion). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were evaluated. Diagnostic accuracy of the evaluation was determined. Sensitivity for malignant lesions in hard copy versus soft copy reading was 97% vs 90%, 97% vs 97%, 93% vs 97%, and 76% vs 76% for the four readers, respectively. Specificity was 52% vs 68%, 58% vs 74%, 65% vs 48%, and 61% vs 68%. Accuracy for the classification of malignant lesions according to the BI-RADS categories showed no difference between hard copy and soft copy reading. Soft copy reading is possible with the available system and enables radiologists to use the advantages of a digital system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany. obenauerheuser@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Obenauer
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marten
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luftner-Nagel
authors.forename: Dorit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Heyden
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skaane
authors.forename: Eckhardt
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grabbe
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D044584:Carcinoma, Ductal / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016387:Women's Health; D014962:X-Ray Film; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens