Microcalcifications on Screening Mammograms - Can Recall for Magnification View be Replaced by Analogue Magnification Using a Video Visualiser and Television?

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WCW Wong, EYL Kan, CY Lui, GKF Tam, LK Chan, HS Lam

Hong Kong J Radiol 2009;12:3-7

Objective: To determine whether recall for magnification views for mammographic microcalcification can be replaced by analogue magnification using a video visualiser and standard television.

Methods: Mammograms of 141 patients that were positive for microcalcification were collected. The mammographic microcalcifications were correlated with histological diagnoses; 61 were malignant and 80 were benign. Eleven radiologists with training in breast imaging graded the microcalcifications by reading the standard craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique views. Magnification of the microcalcifications was achieved by using a video visualiser and standard television, and calcifications were graded according to a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = definitely benign and 10 = definitely malignant). The radiologists then regraded the mammograms with both the standard and the magnified views available. The results were analysed using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results: The areas under the curves of the radiologists’ performance for the 2 reading conditions were calculated; no statistically significant differences were found for 91% (10/11). The inter-rater reliabilities were high. The data for the 141 patients were collated individually by taking the means of the scores rated by the radiologists for each testing condition; no statistically significant differences were observed.

Conclusion: These results suggest that recall for magnification view can be replaced by analogue magnification using a video visualiser and standard television, thereby reducing the rate of recall for magnification views.