Experiences with a workstation prototype for softcopy reading within the Bavarian mammography recertification program: workstations and education.
OBJECTIVE
In January 2002, the Bavarian Statutory Health Care Administration ("Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Bayerns", KVB) started a recertification program for quality assurance and quality improvement in mammography reading.


METHODS
All accredited radiologists and gynecologists are asked to prove their qualification every 1-2 years. The recertification program requires the physicians to read 50 cases randomly selected from a larger collection of high-quality test cases. The portion of malignant and benign cases corresponds to the requirements of the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians ("Kassenäztliche Bundesvereinig ung", KBV). In order to perform the recertification in a manageable manner a decentralized approach (test at different locations in parallel) was preferred over a centralized one. Therefore, the X-ray films were digitized and converted to DICOM Digital Mammography format to be read on a softcopy device. To verify the applicability of digitized mammograms for recertification purposes, a comparative study with 32 trained radiologists and gynecologists was performed.


RESULTS
A system of two high-resolution/high-contrast monitors (2048 X 2560 pixels, > or = 350 cd/m2) in combination with a 5 mega-pixel dual-head graphics adapter with calibrated output was chosen for the mammography workstation. The software was implemented according to the particular requirements of this program. As a result, the comparative study showed that there was no significant difference in the error rate of the reported findings between conventional film and softcopy reading.


CONCLUSIONS
The first intermediate results of this quality initiative are promising. As of 2003, the test is mandatory for all mammography-reading physicians in Bavaria.
Riesmeier
Jörg
J
OFFIS e.V., Escherweg 2, Oldenburg, Germany 26121. riesmeier@offis.de
Eichelberg
Marco
M
Hellemann
Hans-Peter
HP
Kieschke
Joachim
J
Wilkens
Thomas
T
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002568:Certification; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003626:Data Display; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012984:Software