Mammography Study: Can Slab Reconstruction Technology Reinvent Efficiency with DBT?

Incorporating slab reconstruction technology into digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) interpretation may help streamline workflow without adversely affecting breast cancer detection rates, according to new research presented at the recent Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference.

For the study, researchers compared data from DBT screening exams prior to the implementation of slab reconstruction technology (3DQuorum, Hologic) and after its implementation with DBT assessments. The pre-implementation cohort included 89,218 DBT exams for 60,692 women (mean age of 60) and the post-implementation cohort was comprised of 60,338 women (mean age of 61) with a total of 68,314 DBT exams, according to the study.

Multivariable analysis revealed no significant differences between pre-implementation DBT assessments and DBT evaluation that incorporated 3DQuorum with respect to cancer detection rate (CDR), sensitivity (82 percent vs. 87 percent) or false-negative rates (1.3 per 1000 vs. 1.0 per 1000), according to the study authors.

In a recent interview at the RSNA conference, Manisha Bahl, M.D., noted that she and her colleagues have been using 3DQuorum since 2021 and had noticed increased efficiency with the AI-powered technology, which generates 6 mm slices with 3 mm of overlap.

“When we first implemented 3DQuorum several years ago, we immediately realized the benefits in improved reading efficiency and reduced storage requirements, and our new study demonstrates that 3DQuorum is a safe and effective technology,” noted Dr.Bahl, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and breast imaging radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Bahl said she was surprised to see improvements with the recall rate and specificity rate (94.7 percent vs. 94 percent) with the use of 3DQuorum in the post-implementation period.

“ … Our recall rate was actually lower after the implementation of 3DQuorum, and our specificity was higher, suggesting that we're better able to distinguish benign from malignant findings with this technology,” pointed out Dr. Bahl.

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “Mammography Study: Multi-Stage Use of AI for DBT Exams Yields Over 21 Percent Increase in Breast Cancer Detection,” “Predicting Interval Breast Cancer Risk: Can a Mammography Deep Learning Model Have an Impact?” and “DeepHealth Unveils AI-Powered Breast Suite Mammography Software.”)

For more insights from Dr. Bahl, watch the video below.

Reference

1. Bahl M, Mercaldo S, Lamb L. Does slab reconstruction technology impact screening mammography performance? A comparative analysis of screening DBT performance metrics before and after implementation. Presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, November 30-December 4, 2025, Chicago.