Comparative Efficacy of Four Imaging Instruments for Breast Cancer Screening

Abstract

Sensitivity and specificity are the two most important indicators in selection of medical imaging devices forcancer screening. Breast images taken by conventional or digital mammography, ultrasound, MRI and opticalmammography were collected from 2,143,852 patients. They were then studied and compared for sensitivityand specificity results. Optical mammography had the highest sensitivity (p<0.001 and p<0.006) except withMRI. Digital mammography had the highest specificity for breast cancer imaging. A comparison of specificitybetween digital mammography and optical mammography was significant (p<0.021). If two or more breastdiagnostic imaging tests are requested the overall sensitivity and specificity will increase. In this literature reviewstudy patients at high-risk of breast cancer were studied beside normal or sensitive women. The image modalityperformance of each breast test was compared for each.