Purpose of Technology

Full-field digital mammography (FFDM) is an alternative to conventional screen-film mammography (SFM), the standard of care for detecting breast cancer. With digital mammography, images of the breast are acquired, displayed, transferred, and stored as digital data for viewing on a computer monitor (soft-copy reading) or for printing and viewing with a light box (hard-copy reading). In contrast to SFM, FFDM simplifies image interpretation because image acquisition, image processing, image review, and data storage are independently executed. FFDM enables radiologists to manipulate the magnification, contrast, and brightness of mammographic data, with the goal of improving ability to distinguish between normal and malignant tissue.

Questions addressed in this report include:

• In a screening setting, when compared with SFM, does FFDM lower recall rates and/or increase detection rates for breast cancer?
• In a screening setting, when compared with SFM, is FFDM more accurate in detecting breast cancer?
• Are there safety issues associated with FFDM?
• For which patients might FFDM provide a benefit in a screening setting?

These questions provide a framework for review and synthesis of the best available evidence, which is presented in this report, along with the Hayes Ratings for the technology. This report also provides background information about the condition being treated, a description of the technology, and the context for development of the technology. Other key elements addressed in the report include the regulatory status; applicable Medicare and commercial payer coverage policies; relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes; cost and cost effectiveness; credentialing; hospital length of stay; need for large case management; and ongoing and future clinical trials of the technology.

Posted in Directory Reports
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 at 12:00 pm.