Calcifications in the breast and digital breast tomosynthesis

Our study was to compare the clarity with which calcifications are seen on conventional mammography (CM) with the same calcifications on digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). We define clarity as the sharpness, contrast, and diagnostic quality by which the calcifications were depicted. In a HIPPA compliant Institutional Review Board approved study, 3,000 women volunteered to have both a screening mammogram and a DBT study. A total of 119 sequential cases with relevant calcifications (not clearly benign) were reviewed. Two board certified, dedicated, breast imaging radiologists reviewed the CM and DBT images in an unblinded paired comparison. Only the mediolateral oblique (MLO) projection was available for the DBT studies. The MLO and craniocaudal projections were reviewed using the 2D images. Window and leveling, and electronic zoom were permitted. Unlimited time was allowed to provide a subjective assessment as too how well the calcifications were seen, from a diagnostic perspective, when the two studies were evaluated side-by-side. In 41.6% of the cases, the readers felt that calcifications were seen with superior clarity on DBT. In 50.4% of the cases, the visibility of calcifications was the same for DBT and CM, and in 8% of the cases, calcifications were seen with greater clarity on CM than DBT. In 92% of the cases, the clarity with which calcifications were seen on DBT was equal to or better than for CM and in almost half, the clarity on DBT was judged to be better than for CM. Our analysis shows that calcifications can be demonstrated with equal or greater clarity on DBT as on CM, thus allowing for comparable, and, perhaps, improved interpretive analysis of detected calcifications.