Incremental cost-effectiveness of double-reading mammograms.

BACKGROUND: Double reading is a widely used criterion standard in breast cancer screening despite a lack of evidence of the cost-effectiveness of the second reading. This study evaluates the incremental cost-effectiveness of such a strategy. DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis: Nationwide population-based semi-annual screening program for women aged 50-59 in Finland. Participation rate was 91%. All mammograms (95,423) performed during 1990-1995 in three screening centers of the Finnish Cancer Society were read by two radiologists with gradings recorded. The effectiveness of the double reading was the difference in cancers detected in the double compared to that of the single reading. Incremental costs of the double reading for the health care and non-health care and the time costs were estimated. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost per additional cancer found as a result of the double-reading strategy. RESULTS: The total number of cancers detected with the double and single reading were 290 and 261, respectively. A significantly higher ratio of carcinoma in situ was the causative pathology in cancers detected only by the second reader. The cost per cancer detected with a single reading was US$ 18,340. The incremental cost of any additional cancer found was US$ 25,523, that is, a 39% higher cost per additional cancer found by double reading. CONCLUSIONS: The additional cost per cancer detected by double reading is not drastically higher than with single reading. However, the additional cost per life year saved may be much higher.

Prognostic significance of synovial fluid analysis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Thirty patients with definite rheumatoid arthritis and hydropsy in a knee joint were followed for 42 months in a prospective study. The knee joints were initially aspirated and 15 synovial fluid variables investigated. The patients were split into two groups, those with and those without progress of radiologically detected destruction in the knee joints during the follow-up. Of the synovial fluid variables at the start synovial fluid proteins (P = 0.002) and acid phosphatase (P = 0.03) differed statistically significantly between the groups, both being higher in patients with worsening of knee joint. The results suggest that high synovial fluid proteins and acid phosphatase are predictors of poor prognosis in a joint affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

Accuracy of 100 mm x 100 mm mirror optic camera technique as compared to normal chest radiography technique.

Full size and 100 mm x 100 mm mirror optic camera (photofluorographic) chest films of 121 patients were read by a team of four radiologists. Altogether 2781 diagnostic statements were reported, 968 of which were of primary importance, and only these statements were analysed. Error rates with the standard technique varied between 16 and 31% and with the 100 mm x 100 mm technique between 21 and 38%. The difference in error rates between the techniques used was not statistically significant but there were significant differences between the individual radiologists.