Early breast tomosynthesis adopter Washington Radiology Associates increased cancer detection by one-third, decreased call-backs, and improved provider confidence.
At Washington Radiology Associates, staying on the leading edge of women’s imaging technology is a priority, so the group wanted to be an early adopter of 3-D breast tomosynthesis.
The six-location group in the Washington, DC area eventually replaced all 15 of their Hologic Selenia 2-D mammography machines with the Hologic Dimensions product, on which they could add the tomosynthesis software.
After a three month trial with two tomography upgrades, “our doctors were convinced this technology was beneficial for our patients,” said Patrick Waring, administrator for Washington Radiology Associates. Last June, the group completed the upgrade of 15 Dimensions 3-D tomography machines.
Washington Radiology Associates has chosen to charge customers a fee, since it’s not yet a reimbursable service. Tomosynthesis is offered to all patients - not just those with dense breasts, for example - and a large percentage of patients choose tomo, Waring said.
Radiologists at Washington Radiology Associates have increased their cancer detection rate by about a third, said Mark Klein, MD. Call-back rates have also diminished, depending on the radiologists, but likely on average about a third, too.
Equally important, Klein said, is the reduced anxiety for the radiologist that comes with reading a study with greater certainty. “Your confidence level goes way up,” he said. “When you’re finished reading a 3-D mammogram and you think it’s normal, you’re probably right. That’s a real advantage.”
In addition to the benefits to radiologists and patients, the addition of tomosynthesis is a differentiator for the practice. “If you’re not the first [to offer tomosynthesis], the guy down the street will be,” Waring said. “This is technology that will be here to stay.”
Mammography and Breast MRI: Is it Time to Evaluate Strategies as Opposed to Modalities?
July 5th 2024The combination of mammography with breast MRI within 90 days had a 96.2 percent sensitivity in comparison to 48.1 percent for mammography and 79.7 percent for breast MRI performed within 91 to 270 days after index mammography, according to newly published research.
ACR Collaborative Model Leads to 35 Percent Improvement with Mammography Positioning Criteria
July 1st 2024Noting significant variation with facilities for achieving passing criteria for mammography positioning, researchers found that structured interventions, ranging from weekly auditing of images taken by technologists to mechanisms for feedback from radiologists to technologists, led to significant improvements in a multicenter study.