Reading screening mammograms immediately is “a new paradigm for improved screening mammography workflow that allows more rapid diagnostic workup.” In addition, it “reduced prior racial and ethnic disparities in same-day diagnostic imaging after abnormal screening mammograms,” wrote the authors of a study published September 8, 2021, in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

“A team led by Dr. Brian Dontchos from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that their immediate-read screening mammography program reduced prior racial and ethnic disparities by increasing the odds of having same-day diagnostic imaging after abnormal screening mammograms,” reported Allegretto.

According to Dontchos, et al, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented an immediate-read screening mammography program to reduce patient visits and decrease time to diagnostic imaging,” because “[t]he need for second visits between screening mammograms and diagnostic imaging contributes to disparities in the time to breast cancer diagnosis.” Pre- and post-implementation screenings were included in the study. “Pre-implementation, patients with other races had significantly lower odds than White patients of same-day diagnostic imaging after abnormal screening examinations (adjusted odds ratio: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.86; p=.03). Post-implementation, odds of same-day diagnostic imaging was not significantly different between patients with other races and White patients (adjusted odds ratio: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.50, 1.71; p=.80). Post-implementation, patients with and without same-day diagnostic imaging after abnormal screening mammograms showed no significant difference in race and ethnicity (p>.05). Abnormal interpretation rate was significantly lower post-implementation than pre-implementation (5.0% vs 6.3%, respectively; p<.001). Pre- and post-implementation periods were not significantly different (p>.05) in cancer detection rate or PPV1.”

Sources:

Dontchos, Brian N. and Achibiri, Janeiro and Mercaldo, Sarah F. and Wang, Gary X. and Lamb, Leslie R. and Miles, Randy C. and Narayan, Anand K. and Lehman, Constance D. Same-Day Diagnostic Imaging in Breast Cancer Screening: Impact of an Immediate-Read Screening Mammography Program Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic. American Journal of Roentgenology. Doi
10.2214/AJR.21.26597. https://doi.org/10.2214/AJR.21.26597 Accessed September 20, 2021.

Allegretto, Amerigo. “Immediately reading mammograms helps with workflow, disparities.” AuntMinnie.com. September 10, 2021. Accessed September 20, 2021, at https://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=wom&pag=dis&ItemID=133456