October 9, 2008 (New England Journal of Medicine)
The interpretation of screening mammograms by two readers (double reading) increased the rate of cancer detection by as much as 14%, according to a meta-analysis planned for the October 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Double reading is standard practice in a dozen European countries but has not been widely adopted in the United States.
Using computer-aided detection systems could increase cancer-detection rates, researchers conclude.
IMS Take: It is in your best interest to either go to a facility that uses two readers to interpret the results of your mammogram (something that is very rare in the United States) or to go to a facility that uses a CAD system. If you go to a facility that uses a single reader, studies show you are 4-14% more likely to have a misdiagnosis.
One question we should all ask ourselves is why is it that 12 European countries realize that this leads to better healthcare, but we here in the U.S. don't?