Table 2.
Characteristics of radiologists interpreting examinations included in the study
| Radiologist characteristic* | Total radiologists, No.† | Diagnostic mammograms |
|
| Without cancer, No. (%) | With cancer, No. (%) | ||
| Experience | |||
| Years of mammography interpretation | |||
| <10 | 28 | 3715 (17.8) | 187 (18.4) |
| 10–19 | 54 | 12 028 (57.6) | 609 (59.8) |
| ≥20 | 37 | 5124 (24.6) | 222 (21.8) |
| Percentage of time working in breast imaging | |||
| <20 | 57 | 6308 (30.2) | 278 (27.3) |
| 20–39 | 48 | 11 663 (55.9) | 570 (56.0) |
| ≥40 | 14 | 2896 (13.9) | 170 (16.7) |
| No. of mammograms interpreted in the previous year | |||
| <1000 | 33 | 2246 (10.8) | 114 (11.1) |
| 1001–2000 | 45 | 7110 (34.1) | 354 (34.5) |
| ≥2001 | 42 | 11 508 (55.2) | 557 (54.3) |
| Practice characteristics | |||
| Primary affiliation with an academic medical center | |||
| No | 115 | 20 215 (95.9) | 998 (96.1) |
| Yes | 6 | 867 (4.1)* | 41 (3.9)* |
| Percentage of mammograms interpreted that were diagnostic | |||
| 0–24 | 62 | 10 619 (50.4) | 505 (48.6) |
| 25–49 | 49 | 9084 (43.1) | 481 (46.3) |
| 50–100 | 10 | 1379 (6.5)* | 53 (5.1)* |
| Performed breast biopsy examinations in the previous year | |||
| No | 35 | 3895 (18.9) | 172 (16.9) |
| Yes | 83 | 16 727 (81.1) | 847 (83.1) |
*
Based on 22 121 diagnostic mammograms (21 082 without cancer and 1039 with cancer) from 32 facilities and 121 radiologists.
†
Number of radiologists may not add up to 121 because of radiologists missing responses to certain questions on the radiologist survey, and subsequently the number of diagnostic mammograms may be less than 22 121.