Dr Fiona Gilbert, a Professor at Aberdeen University, who works at Foresterhill, has published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. In this study, the scientists compared the results of two experts studying a mammogram versus one expert studying a mammogram and a computer program.
This was a very large study, 31,000 woman took part. This is important, these sorts of studies need to be done on a lot of people, so that we know the results are true. They found 200 cancers. When two people looked at the films they found 199 cancers, when one person and a computer looked at the films they found 198 cancers. In Western Europe, it is common for two people to look at mammograms, in America single reading (one person) is more common.
Why is this a good thing? It means the number of screening experts in the UK will be able to read more mammograms (and still be able to pick up the same number of cancers). Women aged between 50 and 70 are invited for mammograms, this will allow the NHS to screen more people over 70 or those aged 47-50. This will also mean people will get screened every three years (if they attend the appointment!).
What if the computer program and the person reading the mammogram don’t agree? Then an additional expert can still be called in to look at the mammogram and give a second opinion. This study was funded by the NHS and Cancer Research UK.
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