Tomosynthesis Nuts and Bolts

Monday, May 16, 2022

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM EDT

Location: Room 200-202

Speaker(s)

Mark A. Helvie, MD, FACR, FSBI

Trygve O. Gabrielsen Professor of Radiology
University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine
University of Michgan
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Slides PDF
Melissa A. Durand, MD, FSBI

Yale University
Yale University School of Medicine

Slides PDF

This session will address a variety of practical questions regarding digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) use, which radiologists may encounter in everyday practice. We will discuss DBT’s history, reading time, dose, CAD/AI, slice thickness, the balance between technology benefit and screening frequency. Questions concerning synthetic mammography vs. 2D, management of calcifications and architectural distortion, DBT performance by age and breast density will be reviewed. We will conclude with a discussion on interval cancers and screening efficacy.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss practical clinical advantages and challenges with DBT.
2. Visualize the differences with between synthesized mammography and 2D mammography and articulate the management of calcifications and architectural distortions.
3. Evaluate DBT performance by age and density, identify a role for ultrasound as a supplement to DBT, and define how interval cancers can serve as a surrogate for breast cancer mortality.