Radiographic screening for breast carcinoma. I. Program and primary findings in 45--69 year old women

A cross-sectional, randomized screening with mammary radiography of 15 748 women aged 45 to 69 and living in Malmö for the detection of breast carcinoma is described. The detection rate of breast carcinoma was 7.5 per 1 000, 16 per cent of the carcinoma being non-invasive and 43 invasive with a diameter of at most 10 mm. The overall rate of axillary metastases was 18 per cent. The sensitivity of the radiography was 91.5 per cent, the specificity 99.2 per cent and the predictive value 47 per cent. It is concluded that mammary radiography is an effective screening method for detecting early carcinoma.