Agreement between Breast Percentage Density Estimations from Standard-Dose versus Synthetic Digital Mammograms: Results from a Large Screening Cohort Using Automated Measures

Radiology. 2017 Jun;283(3):673-680. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2016161286. Epub 2017 Jan 25.

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate agreement between automated estimates of breast density made from standard-dose versus synthetic digital mammograms in a large cohort of women undergoing screening. Materials and Methods This study received institutional review board approval with waiver of consent. A total of 3668 negative (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 1 or 2) digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening examinations consecutively performed over a 4-month period at one institution for which both standard-dose and synthetic mammograms were available for analysis were retrospectively analyzed. All mammograms were acquired with a Selenia Dimensions system (Hologic, Bedford, Mass), and synthetic mammograms were generated by using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved "C-View" software module. The "For Presentation" standard-dose mammograms and synthetic images were analyzed by using a fully automated algorithm. Agreement between density estimates was assessed by using Pearson correlation, linear regression, and Bland-Altman analysis. Differences were evaluated by using the paired Student t test. Results Breast percentage density (PD) estimates from synthetic and standard-dose mammograms were highly correlated (r = 0.92, P < .001), and the 95% Bland-Altman limits of agreement between PD estimates were -6.4% to 9.9%. Synthetic mammograms had PD estimates by an average of 1.7% higher than standard-dose mammograms (P < .001), with a larger disagreement by 1.56% in women with highly dense breast tissue (P < .0001). Conclusion Fully automated estimates of breast density made from synthetic mammograms are generally comparable to those made from standard-dose mammograms. This may be important, as standard two-dimensional mammographic images are increasingly being replaced by synthetic mammograms in DBT screening in an attempt to reduce radiation dose. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Density*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mammography* / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies