Highlights
- •Nearly all calcifications are more conspicuous on synthetic mammography.
- •Nearly all architectural distortions are more conspicuous on synthetic mammography.
- •43% non-calcified, non-distorted lesions have reduced visibility on synthetic mammography.
Abstract
Objective
To compare lesion conspicuity on synthetic screening mammography (SM) plus digital
breast tomosynthesis (DBT) versus full field digital mammography (FFDM) plus DBT.
Materials and methods
Seven breast imagers each prospectively evaluated 107–228 screening mammograms (FFDM,
DBT, and SM; total 1206 examinations) over 12 weeks in sets of 10–50 consecutive examinations.
Interpretation sessions alternated as follows: SM + DBT, then FFDM, or FFDM + DBT,
then SM. Lesion conspicuity on SM versus FFDM (equal/better versus less) was assessed
using proportions with 95% confidence intervals. DBT-only findings were excluded.
Results
Overall 1082 of 1206 (89.7%) examinations were assessed BI-RADS 1/2, and 124 of 1206
(10.3%) assessed BI-RADS 0. There were 409 evaluated findings, including 134 masses,
119 calcifications, 72 asymmetries, 49 architectural distortion, and 35 focal asymmetries.
SM conspicuity compared to FFDM conspicuity for lesions was rated 1) masses: 77 (57%)
equal or more conspicuous, 57 (43%) less conspicuous; 2) asymmetries/focal asymmetries:
61 (57%) equal or more conspicuous, and 46 (43%) less conspicuous; 3) architectural
distortion: 46 (94%) equal or more conspicuous, 3 (6%) less conspicuous; 4) calcifications:
115 (97%) equal or more conspicuous, 4 (3%) less conspicuous. SM had better conspicuity
than FFDM for calcifications and architectural distortion and similar conspicuity
for most masses and asymmetries.
Conclusion
Compared to FFDM, SM has better conspicuity for calcifications and architectural distortion
and similar conspicuity for most masses and asymmetries.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 18, 2021
Accepted:
January 15,
2021
Received in revised form:
December 30,
2020
Received:
November 18,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
