To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Adding Ultrasonography to Mammography May Improve Detection of Breast Cancer in Women at High Risk URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2212CA.htm Doctor's Guide May 13, 2008
CHICAGO -- May 13, 2008 -- The addition of ultrasonography to mammography for women at high risk of breast cancer may result in a higher rate of cancer detection, but it may also increase the number of false-positive results, according to a study in the May 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Wendie A. Berg, MD, PhD, American Radiology Services Inc., Johns Hopkins at Green Spring Station, Lutherville, Maryland, and colleagues conducted a study to compare the diagnostic effectiveness of screening breast mammography plus ultrasonography versus mammography alone in women at increased risk of breast cancer. The study included 2,809 women with dense breast tissue who were randomised to undergo mammographic and ultrasonographic examinations. Forty participants (41 breast lesions) were diagnosed with cancer: 8 suspicious on both ultrasonography and mammography; 12 on ultrasonography alone; 12 on mammography alone; and 8 participants (involving 9 breast lesions) on neither. The diagnostic yield for mammography was 7.6 cancers per 1,000 women screened (20/2,637); 31 cancers were diagnosed in 2,637 participants by the combination of mammography plus ultrasonography, producing a yield of 11.8 per 1,000 women and an increased yield due to ultrasonography of 4.2 per 1,000 over mammography alone (or an additional 1.1 to 7.2 cancers per 1,000 women at high risk). The diagnostic accuracy of mammography was 0.78; 0.80 for ultrasonography; and 0.91 for combined mammography plus ultrasonography. The positive predictive value of a biopsy recommendation after full diagnostic workup was 19 of 84 (22.6%) for mammography, 21 of 235 (8.9%) for ultrasonography, and 31 of 276 (11.2%) for combined mammography and ultrasonography. The false-positive rate for mammography was 4.4%; 8.1% for ultrasonography; and 10.4% for combined mammography and ultrasonography. "The detection benefit of a single screening ultrasound in women at elevated risk of breast cancer is now well validated," said the study authors. "However, it comes with a substantial risk of false-positive results (ie, biopsy with benign results and/or short interval follow-up). Our results should be interpreted in the context of recent guidelines recommending annual magnetic resonance imaging in women at very high risk of breast cancer." SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.