Dr. Henry Potts from University College London recently contacted me about some work he and a colleague have been doing on computer aids in screening mammography, recently published in the European Journal of Cancer. The full text is available here. You can also check out their department blog entry.
Thank you Dr. Potts for the note. I am sure readers of this blog will find your work very interesting.
Abstract from paper:
Background: There are two competing methods for improving the accuracy of a radiologist interpreting screening mammograms: computer aids (CAD) or independent second reading. Methods: Bibliographic databases were searched for clinical trials. Meta-analyses estimated impacts of CAD and double reading on odds ratios for cancer detection and recall rates. Sub-group analyses considered double reading with arbitration. Results: Ten studies compared single reading with CAD to single reading. Seventeen compared double to single reading. Double reading increases cancer detection and recall rates. Double reading with arbitration increases detection rate (CI: 1.02-1.15) and decreases recall rate (CI: 0.92-0.96). CAD does not have a significant effect on cancer detection rate (CI: 0.96-1.13) and increases recall rate (95% CI: 1.09-1.12). However, there is considerable heterogeneity in the impact on recall rate in both sets of studies. Conclusion: The evidence that double reading with arbitration enhances screening is stronger than that for single reading with CAD.
