Purpose: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of microcalcifications and focal lesions in a retrospective clinical-histological study using high-resolution digital phosphor storage plates (hard copy) and full-field digital mammography (hard copy).
Materials and methods: From May 2003 to September 2003, 102 patients underwent digital storage plate mammography (CR), using a mammography unit (Mammomat 3000 N, Siemens) in combination with a high resolution (9 lp/mm) digital storage phosphor plate system (pixel size 50 microm) (Fuji/Siemens). After diagnosis and preoperative wire localization, full-field digital mammography (CCD) (DR) was performed with the same exposure parameters. The full-field digital mammography used a CCD-detector (SenoScan) (Fisher Imaging) with a resolution of 10 Ip/mm and a pixel size of 50 microm. Five investigators determined the diagnosis (BI-RADS I - V) retrospectively after the operation from randomly distributed mediolateral views (hard copy reading). These results were correlated with the final histology.
Results: The diagnostic accuracy of digital storage plate mammography (CR) and full-field digital mammography (CCD) (DR) was 73 % and 71 % for all findings (n = 102), 73 % and 71 % for microcalcifications (n = 51), and 72 % and 70 % for focal lesions (n = 51). The overall results showed no difference.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate the equivalence of high-resolution digital phosphor storage plate mammography (CR) and full-field digital mammography (CCD) (DR).