title: Using breast radiographers' reports as a second opinion for radiologists' readings of microcalcifications in digital mammography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate a practical method for incorporating radiographers' reports with radiologists' readings of digital mammograms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This simulation study was conducted using data from a free-response receiver operating characteristic observer study obtained with 75 cases (25 malignant, 25 benign and 25 normal cases) of digital mammograms. Each of the rating scores obtained by six breast radiographers was utilized as a second opinion for four radiologists' readings with the radiographers' reports. A logical "OR" operation with various criteria settings was simulated for deciding an appropriate method to select a radiographer's report in all combinations of radiologists and radiographers. The average figure of merit (FOM) of the radiologists' performances was statistically analysed using a jackknife procedure (JAFROC) to verify the clinical utility of using radiographers' reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Potential improvement of the average FOM of the radiologists' performances for identifying malignant microcalcifications could be expected when using radiographers' reports as a second opinion. When the threshold value of 2.6 in Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS®) assessment was applied to adopt/reject a radiographer's report, FOMs of radiologists' performances were further improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When using breast radiographers' reports as a second opinion, radiologists' performances potentially improved when reading digital mammograms. It could be anticipated that radiologists' performances were improved further by setting a threshold value on the BI-RADS assessment provided by the radiographers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the effective use of a radiographer's report as a second opinion, radiographers' rating scores and its criteria setting for adoption/rejection would be necessary.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiological Technology, School of Health Sciences, College of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takamori
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D012372:ROC Curve; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results