Visualization of Breast Microcalcifications on Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and 2-Dimensional Digital Mammography Using Specimens

Breast Cancer (Auckl). 2017 Apr 12:11:1178223417703388. doi: 10.1177/1178223417703388. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the visibility of microcalcifications of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and full-field digital mammography (FFDM) using breast specimens.

Materials and methods: Thirty-one specimens' DBT and FFDM were retrospectively reviewed by four readers.

Results: The image quality of microcalcifications of DBT was rated as superior or equivalent in 71.0% by reader 1, 67.8% by reader 2, 64.5% by reader 3, and 80.6% by reader 4. The Fleiss kappa statistic for agreement among readers was 0.31.

Conclusions: We suggest that image quality of DBT appears to be comparable with or better than FFDM in terms of revealing microcalcifications.

Keywords: Breast microcalcification; digital breast tomosynthesis; full-field digital mammography.