Dear AuntMinnie Member,
The use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) cut the recall rate for screening mammography by 40% at Yale-New Haven Hospital, according to a study presented today at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) meeting in Vancouver.
The study confirms previous research indicating that DBT could lower recalls, according to an article in our Women's Imaging Digital Community. It's an important finding as many breast imaging facilities struggle to decide whether to upgrade to DBT technology, which is costlier than conventional full-field digital mammography systems.
The Yale researchers have examined nearly 8,000 patients with the DBT system since acquiring the unit in August 2011. They found that DBT screening studies produced a recall rate of 6.6%, compared with 11.1% for studies performed with a conventional mammography system.
Will the findings be enough to tip the scales in favor of DBT? Learn more by clicking here, or visit the community at women.auntminnie.com.
How to measure productivity
In other ARRS coverage, we're highlighting an article on a presentation by Dr. Frank Lexa from Drexel University that discussed how to best track your radiology practice's productivity.
Dr. Lexa believes it's a good idea to track productivity, as long as you don't limit yourself to just following the number of exams your radiologists read -- that is, don't confuse "production" with "productivity." It's also important to consider the other services your practice offers, such as consultation on appropriate imaging, protocol optimization, and discussing results with patients.
It's also easy to make mistakes in terms of how to motivate -- or punish -- radiologists with respect to productivity. In the end, you need to remember that radiologists are fundamentally knowledge workers, and they may respond to certain types of incentives with even worse performance, Dr. Lexa believes.
Learn more by clicking here, and continue to check AuntMinnie.com for more coverage of the ARRS conference.
RADExpo 2012 on May 15
Speaking of conferences, have you registered for our May 15 virtual conference, RADExpo 2012: Spring PACS Symposium? We've assembled a lineup of five impressive speakers whose talks will range from critical test results management to stage 2 meaningful use.
All presentations will feature live Q&A sessions, and you'll be able to interact with other RADExpo attendees and exhibitors in real-time. Oh, and did we mention the fabulous prizes you can win just for attending? Learn more at radexpo.auntminnie.com.
