Internet to Aid Mammography Screening

Melton, M.D., assistant clinical professor of radiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center (New York, NY, USA). "The ability to transmit mammograms over long distances could significantly help to solve the crisis in access to screening mammography, as well as improve the accuracy of interpretation of the examinations.”

Dr. Melton presented his findings at the November 2005 annual meeting of the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago (IL, USA). According to a 2004 report from the Institute of Medicine (Washington DC, USA), women's access to breast cancer screening is in peril because of a shortage of specialists in breast imaging and interpretation. One possible cause of the shortage has been the low level of reimbursement for mammography interpretation and the high level of medical-legal risk.

The study, comprised of 1,314 diagnostic screening mammograms, determined that it is possible to transmit full-field digital mammography (FFDM) images to another site for interpretation without compromising accuracy, security, or the use of computer-aided detection (CAD) software.

In the study, Dr. Melton utilized two FFDM units and a CAD system. The digital images were transmitted by way of internet cable in a very secure environment, including private networks and firewalls, to an interpreting workstation 110 miles away. Each image was transmitted in less than 45 seconds.

Through a number of tests, the scientists determined that digital mammograms sent to the remote workstation were the same as the original images. The study included comparison of image quality, file sizes, CAD markings, and image interpretation by an independent reader.

"These results suggest that regional interpretation centers could be established to improve the accuracy and efficiency of screening mammography, reduce screening backlogs, and aid underserved areas,” Dr. Melton stated. He envisions transforming the way mammograms are interpreted by creating regional Centers of Excellence, where very skilled radiologists would read digital mammograms sent from multiple centers.

"Finding more breast centers earlier, which I believe we can do through digital mammography and Centers of Excellence, will significantly reduce the number of women dying from breast cancer,” he concluded.



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