Feasibility of Prospective Assignment of Initial Method of Detection of Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Pilot Study

Sujata V Ghate; Debbie L Bennett; Sharp F Malak; Linda E Chen; Lisa B Mogil; Risha Shah; Peter R Eby

doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2024.01.025

Feasibility of Prospective Assignment of Initial Method of Detection of Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Pilot Study

J Am Coll Radiol. 2024 Feb 13:S1546-1440(24)00185-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2024.01.025. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sujata V Ghate¹, Debbie L Bennett², Sharp F Malak³, Linda E Chen⁴, Lisa B Mogil⁵, Risha Shah⁵, Peter R Eby⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Vice Chair of the Screening and Emerging Technology Committee of ACR Breast Commission, Member of ACR Ultrasound Commission, Councilor and Secretary/Treasurer for NC Radiological Society, Member of Society of Breast Imaging CME Committee. Electronic address: sujata.ghate@duke.edu.
² Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri; Member of Screening and Emerging Technology Committee of ACR Breast Commission, Division Chief of Breast Imaging.
³ St Bernards Healthcare, Jonesboro, Arkansas; Member of Screening and Emerging Technology Committee of ACR Breast Commission.
⁴ Department of Radiology, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, Washington.
⁵ Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri.
⁶ Section Head of Breast Imaging, Department of Radiology, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, Washington; Chair of the Screening and Emerging Technology Committee of ACR Breast Commission, Chair of the Auditing and Outcomes Monitoring section for the ACR BI-RADS Atlas Committee, Councilor and Secretary for Washington State Radiological Society, Board Member for Society of Breast Imaging.

PMID: 38360129
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2024.01.025

Abstract

Objective: To determine the feasibility of standardized, prospective assignment of initial method of detection (MOD) of breast cancer by radiologists in diverse practice settings.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study analyzed the rate of assignment of MOD in four geographically varied health systems. A universal protocol for basic MOD assignment was agreed upon by the authors before start of the pilot study. Radiologists at each site were instructed how to assign MOD. Charts were then reviewed to determine the frequency and accuracy of MOD assignment for all cases subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer. When available, data regarding frequency of tumor registry abstraction were also reviewed for frequency and accuracy.

Results: A total of 2,328 patients with a new diagnosis of breast cancer were evaluated across the sites over the study period. Of these patients, initial MOD was prospectively assigned by the radiologist in 94% of cases. Of the cases in which MOD was assigned, retrospective review confirmed accurate assignment in 96% of cases.

Conclusions: Prospective, standardized assignment of initial MOD of breast cancer is feasible across different practice sites and can be accurately captured in tumor registries. Standard collection of MOD would provide critical data about the impact of screening mammography in the United States.

Keywords: Breast cancer screening; mammography; method of detection.