EFFECTS OF A PROGRAM TO TRAIN RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGISTS TO IDENTIFY ABNORMALITIES ON MAMMOGRAMS

PURPOSE: To assess whether radiologic technologists could be successfu lly trained to identify abnormalities on mammograms. MATERIALS AND MET HODS: Eight radiologic technologists from two different institutions t ook a pretest, underwent an 8-hour training course followed by a perio d of preceptorship, and then took a posttest. Seven radiologists also took the pretest and posttest, which consisted of evaluating 1,238 two -view screening examinations, including 318 biopsy-proved cancers. RES ULTS: Overall, technologists at institution 1 had lower sensitivity (7 8%) at the pretest, which improved at the posttest (90%). Technologist s at institution 2 had lower specificity at the pretest (44%), which i mproved on the posttest (64%). Hypothetical pairing of radiologists an d technologists with use of posttest results revealed an increase in s ensitivity (median increase, 12% at institution 1 and 19% at instituti on 2). CONCLUSION: Formalized training successfully modified the techn ologists' skills. Radiologic technologists could be used to increase t he number of breast cancers detected at screening mammography.