Breast cancer screening with DBT reduces cost, lowers dose

Breast cancer screening with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) may reduce cost, lower radiation dose, and improve workflow in the diagnostic breast imaging environment, according to researchers from Yale University.

Dr. Reni Butler and colleagues compared diagnostic workup -- including the number of additional mammographic views and the likelihood of ultrasound being performed as the only additional test -- in patients recalled from DBT with 2D screening mammography versus 2D mammography alone (73 screened with combination DBT/mammography; 339 screened with mammography alone).

Butler's group determined the following:

• Patients screened with DBT/mammography had fewer additional views during their diagnostic workup, averaging two views, compared with 2.9 views in the 2D mammography-only group.
• 22% of patients in the DBT/mammography group were more likely to have only ultrasound for diagnostic workup, compared with 2% of patients in the 2D mammography group.

The good news? Adding DBT to conventional screening mammography could reduce the number of additional mammographic views required for diagnosis, lowering the radiation dose for women, in addition to reducing healthcare costs, Butler's team concluded.