Comparison of Microcalcification Detection Rates and Recall Rates in Digital and Analogue Mammography

Abstract

21158 screening mammograms were obtained, 10024 acquired using full field digital mammography (FFDM) and 11134 acquired using film-screen mammography. For each mammogram, data were collected on recall for further assessment due to detection of microcalcification, use of needle biopsy, and presence of microcalcifications in biopsy specimens. 61.5% of women who had a core biopsy following digital mammography had microcalcifications detected, compared with 65.8% for analogue mammography but this difference was not significant (p=0.71). Rates of detection of microcalcifications in women screened by the two methods were similar. It was also found that the recall rate for assessment for women screened digitally (6.1%) was significantly higher than the recall rate for those screened by analogue mammography (3.3%), 95% confidence interval 2.2% - 3.4%. Screening using digital mammography leads to a higher recall rate for assessment than analogue mammography, although similar rates of detection of microcalcifications occur with both imaging modalities.