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Digital mammography screening: sensitivity of the programme dependent on breast density

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Abstract

Objectives

To analyse the impact of breast density on the sensitivity of a population-based digital mammography screening programme (SP) as key evaluation parameter.

Methods

25,576 examinations were prospectively stratified from ACR category 1 to 4 for increments of 25 % density during independent double reading. SP was calculated as number of screen-detected cancers divided by the sum of screen-detected plus interval cancers (24-months period) per ACR category, related to the first reading (a), second reading (b) and highest stratification if discrepant (c). Chi-square tests were used for comparison.

Results

Overall sensitivity of the programme was 79.9 %. SP in ACR 4 (a: 50 %, b: 50 %, c: 50 %) was significantly lower than in ACR 3 (a: 72.9 %, b: 79.4 %, c: 80.7 %, p < 0.001), ACR 2 (a: 83.9 %, b: 85.7 %, c: 83.2 %, p < 0.001) and ACR 1 (a: 100 %, b: 88.8 %, c: 100 %; p < 0.001). Frequencies of ACR 4 were a: 5.0 %, b: 4.3 %, c: 6.9 %.

Conclusion

Digital mammography screening with independent double reading leads to a high overall SP. In the small group of women with breast density classified as ACR 4 SP is significantly reduced compared to all other ACR categories.

Key Points

• Overall sensitivity of a population-based digital mammography screening programme (SP) was 79.9 %.

• In women with ACR 1, 2, or 3, SP ranged between 72.9 %-100 %.

• ACR 4 was rare in participants (<7 %) and SP was only 50 %.

• SP in ACR 4 differed significantly from ACR 3 (p < 0.001).

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Abbreviations

ACR:

American College of Radiology

BI-RADS:

Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System

REC:

Research Ethics Committee

DCIS:

Ductal carcinoma in situ

SP:

Sensitivity of the screening programme

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Acknowledgements

The scientific guarantor of this publication are Stefanie Weigel and Hans-Werner Hense. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. One of the authors (Prof. Hense) has significant statistical expertise. Institutional Review Board approval was not required under national law. Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board. Some of the study subjects have been previously reported in:

Weigel S, Biesheuvel C, Berkemeyer S, Kugel H, Heindel W. Digital mammography screening: how many breast cancers are additionally detected by bilateral ultrasound examination during assessment? Eur Radiol. 2013 Mar; 23(3):684–91.

Weigel S, Berkemeyer S, Girnus R, Sommer A, Lenzen H, Heindel W. Digital mammography screening with photon-counting technique: can a high diagnostic performance be realized at low mean glandular dose? Radiology. 2014 May;271(2):345–55.

Weigel S, Heindel W, Heidrich J, Heidinger O, Hense HW. Reduction of Advanced Breast Cancer Stages at Subsequent Participation in Mammography Screening. Rofo. 2016 Jan;188(1):33–7.

Methodology: retrospective, observational, performed at one institution.

We especially acknowledge the continuous and excellent support of our screening team.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Radiology and Reference Center for Mammography, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149, Muenster, Germany

    Stefanie Weigel & W. Heindel

  2. Cancer Registry of North Rhine-Westphalia, Muenster, Germany

    J. Heidrich, H.-W. Hense & O. Heidinger

  3. Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany

    H.-W. Hense

Authors
  1. Stefanie Weigel
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  2. W. Heindel
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  3. J. Heidrich
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  4. H.-W. Hense
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  5. O. Heidinger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefanie Weigel.

Additional information

Joint first (Weigel, Heindel) and joint last authorship (Hense, Heidinger)

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Weigel, S., Heindel, W., Heidrich, J. et al. Digital mammography screening: sensitivity of the programme dependent on breast density. Eur Radiol 27, 2744–2751 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4636-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4636-4

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