An object on a conventional digital mammogram was highly suspicious for malignancy. The structure was seen in both the MLO and CC views, and persisted on the multiple diagnostic mammograms. The patient underwent biopsy and the structure was benign.
If you look at the corresponding tomosynthesis images, you see nothing malignant. The structure seen in the conventional mammogram was the result of overlapping tissues. Diagnosis was given as superimposed parenchyma.
At another height in the breast, a series of calcifications can be seen in the tomosynthesis cine loop. Because of the 3D nature of the tomosynthesis images, these are known to be within a few millimeters of the skin’s surface.
This image is from a technology that is a work-in-progress and that does not have regulatory approval in certain global markets.
False positive for mammography resolved by tomosynthesis
Aug 21, 2006
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![A normal mammogram confirmed by three-year radiologic follow-up illustrates reader-marked regions of interest (ROIs) during (A) unaided (round 1) and (B) artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted (round 2) reading. Each colored dot represents an ROI for recall by a human reader. Readers could mark more than one ROI per case, represented by multiple dots of the same color. During AI-assisted reading, the AI system displayed three visible prompts: two with suspicion of malignancy scores of 35% (left mediolateral oblique [L MLO] and craniocaudal [L CC]) and one with a suspicion of malignancy score of 10% (right craniocaudal [R CC]), shown as polygonal overlays. Without AI, six of 10 readers (60%) marked a false-positive ROI. With AI assistance, this fell to two of 10 (20%). R MLO = right mediolateral oblique.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/07/2026-07-14-radiology-mammogram-ai-auto-bias.H0bYO8QlWs.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=112&q=70&w=112)





