WHAT IS THE INTERVAL BETWEEN BIOPSY RECOM MENDATION AND BIOPSY AND HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS FED BACK TO THE MAMMOGRAPHY PHYSICIAN - EXPERIENCES WITH 317 BREAST BIOPSIES IN A REGIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT FOR SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY

In a regional quality assurance project for screening mammography (Ger man Mammography Study), 27335 women were screened in 40 participating, office-based mammography units from 1990-1992. Screening led to 317 b iopsies with a positive predictive value of 0.33. All biopsy documenta tion available to the mammography physicians was analysed with a view towards biopsy interval and completeness of information fed back to th e Mr physicians. Biopsy recommendations were acted upon in 29 % of cas es within 2 weeks. With the exception of the dignity Mr physicians wer e incompletely informed about biopsy results. The surgical procedure w as known in the doctors' offices in 62 % of the cases. Specimen radiog raphies were not done regularly. A pathology report was available over all in 42 of 106 malignant cases, respectively. With the exception of the histological diagnosis itself, no variable mentioned in the report s was documented completely. Only one third of the physicians received such reports routinely. Fail-safe information are requested by Mx phy sicians and can help them to better target biopsy recommendations. A ( regional) quality assurance center should be made responsible to analy se the flow of information in mammography screening, to fill in gaps a nd to speed up professional cooperation.