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Research Studies is a monthly compilation of research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers and recently published in journals or newsletters.
Results
1 to 18 of 18 Research Studies Displayed
Miglioretti DL, Bissell MCS, Kerlikowske K
Assessment of a risk-based approach for triaging mammography examinations during periods of reduced capacity.
Breast cancer screening, surveillance, and diagnostic imaging services were profoundly limited during the initial phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The objective of this population-based cohort study was to develop a risk-based strategy for triaging mammograms during periods of decreased capacity. The investigators found that clinical indication and individual risk factors were associated with cancer detection and suggest these may be useful for prioritizing mammography in times and settings of decreased capacity.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Miglioretti DL, Bissell MCS, Kerlikowske K .
Assessment of a risk-based approach for triaging mammography examinations during periods of reduced capacity.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Mar;4(3):e211974. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.1974..
Keywords:
Mammogram, Screening, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Imaging, Access to Care, COVID-19
Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega T
Comparative access to and use of digital breast tomosynthesis screening by women's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
This study looked at access to digital breast tomography (DBT) versus regular mammography and whether women of minority race/ethnicity and lower socioeconomic status experienced lower DBT access during the early adoption period and persistently lower DBT use over time. This cross-sectional study included 92 geographically diverse imaging facilities across 5 US states, with over 2.3 million screening examinations performed among women aged 40 to 89 years from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. Data were analyzed from June 2019, to August 2020. Women who used DBT increased for all women from 3.3% in 2011 to 82.6% in 2017. In 2012, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and women with less than a high school education had lower DBT access compared to White women attending the same facility and also college graduates. Lower DBT access continued over time regardless of the number of years after facility-level DBT adoption.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega T .
Comparative access to and use of digital breast tomosynthesis screening by women's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Feb;4(2):e2037546. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37546..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Imaging, Access to Care, Women, Social Determinants of Health, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Screening
Song H, Bergman A, Chen AT
Disruptions in preventive care: mammograms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The objective of this study was to measure the extent to which the provision of mammograms was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and surrounding guidelines. The data source for the study were de-identified summary data derived from medical claims and eligibility files were provided by Independence Blue Cross for women receiving mammograms. The investigators concluded that the provision of mammograms has been significantly disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation:
Song H, Bergman A, Chen AT .
Disruptions in preventive care: mammograms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Serv Res 2021 Feb;56(1):95-101. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13596..
Keywords:
Mammogram, Imaging, Screening, COVID-19, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Prevention
Rauscher GH, Tossas-Milligan K, Macarol T
Trends in attaining mammography quality benchmarks with repeated participation in a quality measurement program: going beyond the mammography quality standards act to address breast cancer disparities.
The Mammography Quality Standards Act requires that mammography facilities conduct audits, but there are no specifications on the metrics to be measured. In this study, the authors present trends from the first 5 years of data collection to examine whether continued participation in this quality improvement program was associated with an increase in the number of benchmarks met for breast cancer screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Rauscher GH, Tossas-Milligan K, Macarol T .
Trends in attaining mammography quality benchmarks with repeated participation in a quality measurement program: going beyond the mammography quality standards act to address breast cancer disparities.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Nov;17(11):1420-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2020.07.019..
Keywords:
Mammogram, Imaging, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Women
Lowry KP, Coley RY, Miglioretti DL
Screening performance of digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography in community practice by patient age, screening round, and breast density.
The purpose of this study was to compare digital mammography (DM) vs digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) performance by age, baseline vs subsequent screening round, and breast density category. Information was taken from screening examinations at participating Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium facilities of 1.5 million women aged 40 to 79 with no prior history of breast cancer. Findings showed that improvements in recall and cancer detection rates with DBT were greatest on baseline mammograms. On subsequent screening mammograms, the benefits of DBT varied by age and breast density, and women with extremely dense breasts did not benefit from improved recall or cancer detection with DBT on subsequent screening rounds.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Lowry KP, Coley RY, Miglioretti DL .
Screening performance of digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography in community practice by patient age, screening round, and breast density.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Jul;3(7):e2011792. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11792..
Keywords:
Mammogram, Imaging, Screening, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Evidence-Based Practice, Comparative Effectiveness, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
DiPiro PJ, Alper DP, Giess CS
Comparing breast and abdominal subspecialists' follow-up recommendations for incidental liver lesions on breast MRI.
This study compared breast and abdominal subspecialists’ follow-up recommendations following discovery of incidental liver lesions (ILLs) after breast MRI. When breast subspecialists recommended no follow-up abdominal subspecialists agreed with them in 29 out of 30 cases examined, but disagreed with 28 or 30 breast subspecialists’ follow-up recommendations. When breast imagers reported no ILLs, there was 93% agreement with abdominal subspecialists.
AHRQ-funded; HS024722.
Citation:
DiPiro PJ, Alper DP, Giess CS .
Comparing breast and abdominal subspecialists' follow-up recommendations for incidental liver lesions on breast MRI.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Jun;17(6):773-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2019.12.024..
Keywords:
Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Screening, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women
Lacson R, Wang A, Cochon L
Factors associated with optimal follow-up in women with BI-RADS 3 breast findings.
Investigators assessed the rate of and the factors associated with optimal follow-up in patients with BI-RADS 3 breast findings. They found that follow-up of BI-RADS 3 breast imaging findings is optimal in only 74% of women. They recommended further interventions to promote follow-up targeting younger, unmarried women, those with Hispanic ethnicity, and women without history of breast cancer and without insurance coverage.
Citation:
Lacson R, Wang A, Cochon L .
Factors associated with optimal follow-up in women with BI-RADS 3 breast findings.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020 Apr;17(4):469-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2019.10.003..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Imaging, Screening, Women, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Sprague BL, Coley RY, Kerlikowske K
Assessment of radiologist performance in breast cancer screening using digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography.
Many US radiologists have screening mammography recall rates above the expert-recommended threshold of 12%. The influence of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) on the distribution of radiologist recall rates is uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate radiologists' recall and cancer detection rates before and after beginning interpretation of DBT examinations.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Sprague BL, Coley RY, Kerlikowske K .
Assessment of radiologist performance in breast cancer screening using digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Mar 2;3(3):e201759. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.1759..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Imaging, Screening, Women, Prevention, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Sprague BL, Kerlikowske K, Bowles EJA
Trends in clinical breast density assessment from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.
Changes to mammography practice, including revised Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density classification guidelines and implementation of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), may impact clinical breast density assessment. In this study, the authors investigated temporal trends in clinical breast density assessment among 2 990 291 digital mammography (DM) screens and 221 063 DBT screens interpreted by 722 radiologists from 144 facilities in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Sprague BL, Kerlikowske K, Bowles EJA .
Trends in clinical breast density assessment from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.
J Natl Cancer Inst 2019 Jun;111(6):629-32. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djy210..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Imaging, Women
Arana E, Carroll-Scott A, Massey PM
Racial/ethnic disparities in mammogram frequency among women with intellectual disability.
The purpose of this study was to collect survey and medical record data to examine associations between intellectual disability (ID) and race/ethnicity on mammogram frequency. Hispanic and Black women with ID are more likely than White women with ID to have mammograms every 2 years. Women who live in State-funded residences, are aged 50 and over, and had a mild or moderate level of ID impairment were more likely to have mammograms compared to those who lived with family or alone, were under 50, or who had severe ID impairment. The authors conclude that further research is needed to understand the mechanisms that explain these disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS023966.
Citation:
Arana E, Carroll-Scott A, Massey PM .
Racial/ethnic disparities in mammogram frequency among women with intellectual disability.
Intellect Dev Disabil 2019 Jun;57(3):177-87. doi: 10.1352/1934-9556-57.3.177..
Keywords:
Disabilities, Disparities, Imaging, Mammogram, Prevention, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Screening, Women
Arasu VA, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL
Population-based assessment of the association between magnetic resonance imaging background parenchymal enhancement and future primary breast cancer risk.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate comparative associations of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) and mammographic breast density with subsequent breast cancer risk. The investigators concluded that BPE was associated with future invasive breast cancer risk independent of breast density. They suggest that BPE should be considered for risk prediction models for women undergoing breast MRI.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Arasu VA, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL .
Population-based assessment of the association between magnetic resonance imaging background parenchymal enhancement and future primary breast cancer risk.
J Clin Oncol 2019 Apr 20;37(12):954-63. doi: 10.1200/jco.18.00378..
Keywords:
Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Imaging, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Risk, Women
Giess CS, Wang A, Ip IK
Patient, radiologist, and examination characteristics affecting screening mammography recall rates in a large academic practice.
This retrospective study examined patient, radiologist and examination characteristics affecting screening mammography recall rates. This study used 61,198 examinations from an academic center and two outpatient centers from October 1, 2012 to May 31, 2015. Radiologists’ risk aversion, stress from uncertainty, and malpractice concerns and cancer detection rates were derived from the survey. Their annual screening volumes, clinical experience, and concentration in breast imaging was calculated. About 9.3% of screening examinations were recalled. There was no association found with radiologists’ risk aversion, stress from uncertainty, malpractice concerns and cancer detection rates and high recall rates. The most variation was found with radiologists’ annual reading volume and experience.
AHRQ-funded; HS24722.
Citation:
Giess CS, Wang A, Ip IK .
Patient, radiologist, and examination characteristics affecting screening mammography recall rates in a large academic practice.
J Am Coll Radiol 2019 Apr;16(4 Pt A):411-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2018.06.016..
Keywords:
Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Mammogram, Prevention, Screening, Women
Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega TL
The effect of digital breast tomosynthesis adoption on facility-level breast cancer screening volume.
This study examined whether adoption of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) was associated with a decrease in screening mammography capacity across Breast Cancer Screening Consortium facilities. Facility characteristics and examination volume data were collected from facilities that adopted DBT from 2011 and 2014. The majority of facilities had no academic affiliation (73%), were nonprofit (80%) and were general radiology practices (66.7%). Monthly screening volumes were slightly higher after the adoption period but otherwise remained relatively stable before and after adoption of DBT.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega TL .
The effect of digital breast tomosynthesis adoption on facility-level breast cancer screening volume.
AJR Am J Roentgenol 2018 Nov;211(5):957-63. doi: 10.2214/ajr.17.19350..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Imaging, Screening, Prevention, Women
Lee SC, Higashi RT, Sanders JM
Effects of program scale-up on time to resolution for patients with abnormal screening mammography results.
Effects of geographic program expansion to rural areas on mammogram screening program outcomes are understudied. The authors of this study sought to determine whether time-to-resolution (TTR) varied significantly by service delivery time period, location, and participant characteristics across 19 North Texas counties.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation:
Lee SC, Higashi RT, Sanders JM .
Effects of program scale-up on time to resolution for patients with abnormal screening mammography results.
Cancer Causes Control 2018 Oct;29(10):995-1005. doi: 10.1007/s10552-018-1074-4..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Mammogram, Screening, Women
Pappadis MR, Volk RJ, Krishnan S
Perceptions of overdetection of breast cancer among women 70 years of age and older in the USA: a mixed-methods analysis.
The authors explored older women's perceptions about the concept of overdetection of breast cancer and its influence on future screening intentions. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 59 English-speaking women aged 70 years or older with no prior history of breast cancer. The authors found that many older women did not understand the concept of overdetection, in addition to being suspicious of or resistant to the concept. Providing older women with descriptions of overdetection may not be sufficient to influence screening intentions.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation:
Pappadis MR, Volk RJ, Krishnan S .
Perceptions of overdetection of breast cancer among women 70 years of age and older in the USA: a mixed-methods analysis.
BMJ Open 2018 Jun 14;8(6):e022138. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022138..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Elderly, Decision Making, Mammogram, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging, Screening, Prevention
Rauscher GH, Dabbous F, Dolecek TA
Absence of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer within a large health care organization.
The researchers sought to estimate the extent of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer (IBC) within a single, large health care organization. Contrary to expectation, in patient-adjusted models, there was no IBC racial disparity. The sorting of patients by race across facilities appears to have mitigated an otherwise anticipated disparity in IBC.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Rauscher GH, Dabbous F, Dolecek TA .
Absence of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer within a large health care organization.
Ann Epidemiol 2017 Oct;27(10):654-58. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2017.09.002.
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Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Women, Mammogram, Screening, Prevention, Imaging
Dabbous FM, Dolecek TA, Berbaum ML
Impact of a false-positive screening mammogram on subsequent screening behavior and stage at breast cancer diagnosis.
Researchers sought to examine the impact of a false positive (FP) screening mammogram on the subsequent screening mammography behavior. They found that experiencing a FP mammogram increases the risk of late stage at diagnosis compared with prior true negative (TN) mammogram Also, women with a FP mammogram were more likely to delay their subsequent screening compared with women with a TN mammogram.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Dabbous FM, Dolecek TA, Berbaum ML .
Impact of a false-positive screening mammogram on subsequent screening behavior and stage at breast cancer diagnosis.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017 Mar;26(3):397-403. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-16-0524.
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Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Screening, Prevention, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Women
Highfield L, Rajan SS, Valerio MA
A non-randomized controlled stepped wedge trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level mammography intervention in improving appointment adherence in underserved women.
This study evaluated a theoretically based, systematically designed implementation strategy to support adoption and implementation of a patient navigation-based intervention, called Peace of Mind Program (PMP), aimed at improving breast cancer screening among underserved women.. Any potential confounding or bias will be controlled in the analysis. Outcomes such as appointment adherence, patient referral to diagnostics, time to diagnostic referral, patient referral to treatment, time to treatment referral, and budget impact of the intervention will be assessed.
AHRQ-funded; HS023255.
Citation:
Highfield L, Rajan SS, Valerio MA .
A non-randomized controlled stepped wedge trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level mammography intervention in improving appointment adherence in underserved women.
Implement Sci 2015 Oct 14;10:143. doi: 10.1186/s13012-015-0334-x.
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Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Mammogram, Screening, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Vulnerable Populations, Safety Net, Prevention, Women, Imaging
