Who is Reading Your Mammogram?
Dedicated Breast Imaging Specialists Are More Efficient at Diagnosing Breast Cancer
MONTCLAIR, NJ (January, 2004) --- Recent inaccurate breast test scares have many women concerned about the credibility of their mammograms and the accuracy of those reading them, after a Manhattan doctor failed to refer women with abnormal screenings for further tests.
According to Dr. Nancy Elliot, M.D., F.A.C.S., Founder and Director of Montclair Breast Center, "the person reading your mammogram should be a dedicated breast imager, reading breast mammograms at least 50% of the time."
Results of a recent study by Brown Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital show that breast imaging specialists are more efficient and more accurate than general radiologists at reading mammograms. At Montclair Breast Center, Dr. Rose Heller-Savoy and Dr. Melissa Lee are dedicated breast imagers who solely read breast images, utilizing the latest digital mammography and breast ultrasound. Results are then given to patients within 15 minutes. If further tests are needed they are performed immediately on-site at their facility.
Dr Melissa Lee, a former breast radiologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, recently joined Montclair Breast Center’s staff. According to Dr. Lee, "I interpret breast images all day long and know what to look for. If a test is questionable we will immediately order more the same day. We don't keep a patient waiting or allow for second guessing the results. For example, often women with dense breasts may need a breast ultrasound. We can immediately determine this and efficiently provide services at the Center."
Last month’s JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) report comparing screening mammography in the United States and the United Kingdom illustrated the need for better mammogram training and oversight to improve U.S. radiologists’ ability to interpret results. Montclair Breast Center specializes in breast imaging and surgery utilizing the latest technology and most advanced equipment. Montclair Breast Center is one of the few private practice facilities in New Jersey to offer the Breast MRI, the most effective diagnostic tool to date.
Dr. Nancy Elliott believes the future of accurate and efficient breast care lies in specialization.
She states, "Unfortunately in some managed care systems, the quality of your mammogram and the level of training of the imager, who most likely is being paid very little, may affect your overall results. If the radiologist is not specialized, he/she may be more likely to miss an abnormality than a specialist who is trained to look for signs of breast cancer."