Technicians could be trained to interpret screening mammograms

BMJ 1995;310:1003 (15 April)

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Technicians could be trained to interpret screening mammograms

EDITOR,--S Field and colleagues' editorial on interval breastcancers implies a need to quadruple the amount of radiologicaltime devoted to the interpretation of screening mammograms.¹I am unclear why this job must be the exclusive role of radiologists.Cervical cytology screening is entrusted to supervised technicians,and the tasks seem to be similar. Use of technicians would freeradiologists from the presumably tedious task of examining hundredsof similar films for the more rewarding jobs involving directclinical contact, such as ultrasonography and needle aspirationof breast lumps. I wonder what radiologists think about this.

General practitioner Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Michael Robertson

Field S, Michell MJ, Wallis MGW, Wilson ARM. What should be done about interval breast cancers? BMJ 1995;310:203-4. (28 January.)

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What should be done about interval breast cancers?: S Field, M J Michell, M G W Wallis, and A R M Wilson
BMJ 1995 310: 203-204. [Extract] [Full Text]