Per Skaane MD, PhD, Presenter: Equipment support, Hologic, Inc Support, Hologic, Inc

Ellen B. Eben MD, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Ingvild Ness Jebsen, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Unni Haakenaasen MD, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Mona Krager MD, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Mina Izadi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Gunnar Jahr, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Ulrika Ekseth MD, Abstract Co-Author: Support, Hologic, Inc

Interpretation time using tomosynthesis (DBT) for breast cancer screening is longer than that required for FFDM. We assess trends in time to interpretation of tomosynthesis screening examinations during prospective batch readings as a function of radiologists’ experience reading tomosynthesis.

As an integral part of an ongoing prospective clinical trial we record time to interpretation of each case. Seven radiologists interpreted over 2000 examinations each. We computed the time to interpretation of these examinations as a function of their experience. We compared their interpretation time during the first and the last 200 cases and compared these times with the average time to interpretation of FFDM read similarly in a batch mode during the trial.

The average time to interpretation was 42.3 seconds for FFDM (over all cases). For the seven readers analyzed (reading between 2035 and 5532 tomosynthesis exams), average interpretation times for FFDM plus tomosynthesis were 84.5 +/- 24.5 seconds and 59.7 +/- 8.7 second during the first and last 200 cases, respectively (p<0.05) with each of the seven radiologists exhibiting a decrease in interpretation time. Radiologists’ interpretation times exhibited large but decreasing variability and a trend toward shorter reading times with increasing experience. Interpretation time for tomosynthesis remained approximately 40% longer than that for FFDM.

Interpretation time of tomosynthesis examinations is longer than that of FFDM. However it decreases with experience trending toward approximately 60 seconds after reading 2000 examinations.

Interpretation time with DBT decreases with experience approaching about 60 sec per exam after interpretation of 2000 examinations. DBT interpretation time is acceptable for high-volume screening.

Skaane, P, Eben, E, Jebsen, I, Haakenaasen, U, Krager, M, Izadi, M, Jahr, G, Ekseth, U, Trends in Time to Interpretation of Tomosynthesis Based Screening Examinations with Increasing Experience.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13016551.html