CAD in questions/answers Review of the literature

Generalization of breast screening programs requires an efficient double reading of the mammograms, which allows reduction of false-negative rate, but might be difficult to organize. CAD (Computed Assisted Diagnosis) is dramatically improving and is able to detect suspicious mammographic lesions, either suspicious microcalcifications, masses or architectural distorsions. CAD mammography might complete or substitute to "human" double reading. The aim of this review is to describe major CAD systems commercially available, working of CAD and to present principal results of CAD mammography. Specially, place of CAD within breast screening program, according to the results of recent prospective studies will be discussed.