Ultrasound S-detect system can improve diagnostic performance of less experienced radiologists in differentiating breast masses: a retrospective dual-centre study.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the performance of radiologists when assisted by an S-detect system with that of radiologists or an S-detect system alone in diagnosing breast masses on US images in a dual-centre setting.

Methods: US images were retrospectively identified 296 breast masses (150 benign, 146 malignant) by investigators at 2 medical centres. Six radiologists from the 2 centres independently analysed the US images and classified each mass into categories 2-5. The radiologists then re-reviewed the images with the use of the S-detect system. The diagnostic value of radiologists alone, S-detect alone, and radiologists + S-detect were analysed and compared.

Results: Radiologists had significantly decreased the average false negative rate (FNR) for diagnosing breast masses using S-detect system (-10.7%) (P < .001) and increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) from 0.743 to 0.788 (P < .001). Seventy-seven out of 888 US images from 6 radiologists in this study were changed positively (from false positive to true negative or from false negative to true positive) with the S-detect, whereas 39 out of 888 US images were altered negatively.

Conclusion: Radiologists had better performance for the diagnosis of malignant breast masses on US images with an S-detect system than without.

Advances in knowledge: The study reported an improvement in sensitivity and AUC particularly for low to intermediate-level radiologists, involved cases and radiologists from 2 different centres, and compared the diagnostic value of using S-detect system for masses of different sizes.