Reliability of mammographic reporting. Correlation of mammographic interpretation and diagnostic levels of confidence.

In order to assess additional statements in mammographic reports, with view to the suitability of breasts to interpretation, and to analyze the effect of statements (such as well, reasonably, moderately or poorly suited to interpretation) on the reliability of the reports, a study was made of 938 consecutive patients. The accuracy of these statements was correlated in 151 of these cases with proven histology. One would expect that errors in film interpretation would increase with decreasing suitability of the mammograms to interpretation, but we did not succeed in demonstrating this phenomenon. Diagnostic levels of confidence did not correlate significantly with each statement. However, the predictive value of diagnoses qualitatively labelled in scales of ascending suspicion, such as benign, malignancy uncertain, suspicion of malignancy or characteristic for malignancy, can serve as an important marker to a better understanding of the report.