Breast MR computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software can bolster radiologist performance in differentiating between malignant and benign lesions, according to research published online in Radiology.
A research team from the University of Chicago found that a CAD prototype significantly improved the average performance of radiologists in measures such as mean sensitivity, average number of biopsy recommendations for malignant cases, and mean area under the receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve.
"Our study findings suggest that use of a diagnostic computer aid for dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging has the potential to improve the performance of radiologists in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions," wrote the study group, led by Akiko Shimauchi, MD, PhD.
The researchers sought to evaluate their CAD system for dynamic MRI and compare it with their institution's current clinical method for interpreting breast MRI data. At the University of Chicago, radiologists use conventional lesion viewing as well as output from commercially available breast MR imaging analysis software in reading these studies, according to the authors (Radiology, January 6, 2011).
Without and then with CAD, six breast imaging radiologists assessed the likelihood of malignancy and the need for biopsy in a set of 60 breast lesions that were premarked for the readers. There were 30 malignant and 30 benign lesions.
Average radiologist performance
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The differences were statistically significant (p = 0.007, 0.001, respectively).
In other findings, CAD led to an average of 1.7 more biopsy recommendations for malignant cases, a statistically significant improvement (p = 0.032). No significant differences were found in mean specificity or in biopsy recommendations for benign lesions, however.
"An MR imaging CADx workstation potentially can be used to aid breast imaging radiologists in the interpretation and work up of breast MR imaging findings," the authors wrote.
By Erik L. Ridley
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
January 11, 2011
Related Reading
Breast MRI CAD yields high sensitivity, specificity, March 8, 2010
CAD enhances breast MRI specificity, September 17, 2009
Breast MRI CAD algorithm predicts cancer metastasis, February 6, 2009
Reimbursement crunch throttles breast MRI CAD users, April 8, 2008
Breast MRI CAD doesn't improve accuracy due to poor DCIS detection, February 18, 2008
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