BMJ 2008;336:913 (26 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39556.708681.DB
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Radiographers increase cancer detection rate, but at cost
Roger Dobson
1 Abergavenny
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Breast cancer is more likely to be detected when mammograms are read by two radiologists as well as two radiographers. But double reading by both groups of professionals leads to more false-positive screens.
Research based on more than 140 000 mammograms shows that when both radiographers and radiologists double read mammograms the rate of detection of cancer rises by 7% (European Journal of Cancer 2008 Apr 7; doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2008.03.003). But the positive predictive value of a referral for further investigation falls from 47.5% to 36.6% (P<0.001).
"Cancer detection rates increased after the introduction of radiographer double reading in addition to radiologist double reading. This increase was the combined result of improved cancer detection rates achieved by radiologists and additionally detected cancers after secondary referral of radiographer positive readings," say the authors.
The report says that although screening mammograms can be assessed by a single reader, it has been
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