According to a preliminary study, digital mammography resulted in fewer false-negatives but had about the same rate of detection. Digital also has the advantage of being available immediately rather than having to be developed. It also offers increased ease of retrieval because the scans are stored in a computer database. Thus, it improves chances that a cancer would be caught in the early stages. When you put the radiologist and CAD together, clearly we are better than either is alone.
Digital units cost three times as much as film units.
And CAD takes more of a radiologist's time. Unless we increase reimbursements, particularly for new technology, this problem is going to get worse. Back to top. Back to top.