Availability of prior mammograms affects incomplete report rates in mobile screening mammography

• Published in: Breast cancer research and treatment Vol. 171; no. 3; pp. 667 - 673
• Main Authors: Roubidoux, Marilyn A., Shih-Pei Wu, Peggy, Nolte, Emily L. Roen, Begay, Joel A., Joe, Annette I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Cancer research; Clinical Trial; Comparative analysis; Mammography; Medical screening; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Oncology; Patient compliance; Rural health care; Rural populations; American Indian health; Screening underserved populations; Health disparities; Mobile mammography
• ISSN: 0167-6806; 1573-7217
• DOI: 10.1007/s10549-018-4861-4

Purpose Mobile mammography can improve access to screening mammography in rural areas and underserved populations. We evaluated the frequency of incomplete reports in mobile mammography screening and the relationships between prior mammograms and recall rates. Methods The frequency of incomplete mammogram reports, the subgroups of those needing prior comparison mammograms, recalls for additional imaging, and availability of prior mammograms of a mobile screening mammography unit were compared with fixed site mammography from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009. All mobile unit mammograms were full field digital mammography (FFDM). Differences between rates of recall, incomplete reports, and availability of prior mammograms were calculated using the Chi-Square statistic. Results Of 2640 mobile mammography cases, 21.9% (578) reports were incomplete, versus 15.2% (7653) ( p  ≤ 0.001) of 50325 fixed site reports. Of incomplete cases, recall for additional imaging occurred among 8.3% (218) of mobile mammography reports versus 11.3% (5708) ( p  ≤ 0.001) of fixed site reports. Prior mammograms were needed among 13.6% (360) of mobile mammography versus 3.9% (1945) ( p  ≤ 0.001) of fixed site reports. Mobile mammography recall rate varied with availability of prior mammograms: 16.0% (54) when no prior mammograms, 7.6% (127) when prior mammograms were elsewhere but unavailable and 5.9% (37) when prior FFDM were immediately available ( p  ≤ 0.001). Conclusions Incomplete reports were more frequent in mobile mammography than the fixed site. The availability of prior comparison mammograms at time of interpretation decreased the rate of incomplete mammogram reports. Recall rates were higher without prior comparison mammograms and lowest when comparison FFDM mammograms were available.