EXPERIENCE OF A REFERRAL RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITH PREOPERATIVE BREAST LOCALIZATION PROCEDURES

Purpose: To outline the experience of a referral radiology department with preoperative localisation procedures on the basic of mammograms obtained by other facilities. Material and methods: 342 consecutive femal patients aged 56.5+/-11.9 years under went preoperative breast localisation procedures prior to surgery. Of these patients 241 had their mammograms obtained in various private practices and 101 in the radiology department. Retrospectively all mammograms were classified by lesions morphology, lesion size and presence or absence of calcifications. Results: The overall benign-to-malignant ratio (B/M-ratio) was 1.7:1. In the referred patient group the B/M-ratio was 1.9:1, compared to a B/M-ratio of 1.3:1 obtained by the radiology department. Referred patients presented significantly (p<0.001) more often with calcifications that patients from the radiology department. Conclusion: Possible factors for the higher B/M-ratio in referred patients are prompt referral to surgical biopsy, misinterpretation of mammograms, failure in the written report, lack of a second opinion and lack of feedback and communication between surgeon, pathologist and radiologist.