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Performance Measures for 3,884,059 Screening Mammography Examinations1 from 1996 to 2007 by Time (Months) Since Previous Mammography

Sensitivity2 Specificity3 PPV4 Recall5
Total 81.2% 91.2% 4.4% 9.0%
9-15 months 76.9% 92.2% 4.1% 8.0%
16-20 months 79.6% 91.8% 4.4% 8.5%
21-27 months 84.2% 91.1% 4.8% 9.2%
28+ months 87.1% 89.9% 5.0% 10.4%
No previous mammography 89.7% 84.0% 3.5% 16.4%

1 Screening mammography examinations: Mammography examinations indicated by the radiogist to be for screening with bilateral views done and no other mammogram within the past 9 months among women without breast implants or a prior breast cancer diagnosis.

2 Sensitivity = The percentage of cancers§ that had a positive interpretation&.

3 Specificity = The percentage of non-cancers~ that had a negative interpretation#.

4 PPV (Positive Predictive Value) = The percentage of examinations with a positive interpretation& that result in a tissue diagnosis of cancer§.

5 Recall = The percentage of examinations with a positive interpretation&.

§ Cancers = Examinations with a tissue diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive cancer within one year and before the next screening mammography examination.

~ Non-cancers = Examinations without a tissue diagnosis of cancer within one year or before the next screening examination, whichever occurs earlier.

& Positive interpretation = BI-RADS category 0, 3 with a recommendation for immediate follow-up, 4, or 5.

# Negative interpretation = BI-RADS category 1, 2, or 3 with no recommendation for immediate follow-up.

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