ARRS: Breast Cancer Detection Rates Go Up, Patient Recall Rates Go Down With Consensus Double Reading ATLANTA, GA -- April 29, 2002 -- Breast cancer detection rates can be increased by almost 10 percent and the rate that women are recalled for additional testing can be decreased by seven percent if screening mammograms are consensus double read, a new study indicates. Consensus double reading means that each screening mammogram is read by one radiologist. It is then re-read by another radiologist. If they don't agree, a third radiologist is brought in to determine whether the mammogram is suspicious and the woman needs to return for additional tests, says Susan Harvey, MD, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and lead author of the study. The study included 15,985 screening mammograms. Of that, 2,110 women were recalled for additional tests, and biopsies confirmed 103 cancers, says Dr. Harvey. Consensus double reading was responsible for detecting 10 of those cancers, increasing the detection rate by 9.7 percent, she says. All the cancers were very early stage, she says. Consensus double reading saved 189 women from having to return for additional tests, notes Dr. Harvey. None of these women, at followup, had developed cancer, which indicates that consensus double reading led to the correct diagnosis for these women, she says. "Last year, we did a study that looked at double reading of mammograms, where one radiologist, then another, read each screening mammogram," says Dr. Harvey. If one of the two radiologists recommended additional tests, the patient underwent the additional tests. "We saw an increase in cancer detection and an increase in the patient recall rate with double reading," says Dr. Harvey. "Consensus double reading has led to an even better cancer detection rate, and a seven percent decrease in the patient recall rate, says Dr. Harvey. [04/30/2002; Doctor's Guide] www.docguide.com Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.