Ls. Caplan et al., Coding mammograms using the classification "probably benign finding - Short interval follow-up suggested", AM J ROENTG, 172(2), 1999, pp. 339-342
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
OBJECTIVE. Many benign breast lesions revealed by mammography show features
indicating that the lesions have a high, but not complete, likelihood of b
eing benign. The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) allows
radiologists to classify these mammograms as "probably benign finding-short
interval follow-up suggested" (category 3). We explored whether certain fa
ctors are associated with the use of category 3 in a national cancer detect
ion program.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. We analyzed data from the National Breast and Cervic
al Cancer Early Detection Program, a comprehensive nationwide program that
provides cancer screening for low-income and medically underserved women. T
he study population included all women at least 40 years old who had underg
one mammography on or before September 30, 1996 (n = 372,760).
RESULTS. Of the 372,760 mammograms, 7.7% were classified as category 3. The
probability of receiving a category 3 classification decreased as patients
' ages increased. Women who were symptomatic were nearly twice as likely as
women who were asymptomatic to receive a category 3 classification, and wo
men whose clinical breast examinations had abnormal findings were more than
twice as likely as women with examinations having normal findings to recei
ve a category 3 classification. The percentage of mammograms classified as
category 3 by state or tribal organization ranged from 1.4% to 14.0%.
CONCLUSION. Several patient variables, including patient symptomatology, we
re associated with the probability of having a mammogram classified as cate
gory 3. One of the most important determinants was where the patient underw
ent mammography, which suggests that variability exists among radiologists
themselves in using this BI-RADS code for "probably benign" mammographic le
sions.