Breast tomosynthesis – new perspectives on breast cancer screening

Abstract: Mammography is currently the established method in breast cancer screening, although the sensitivity is known be affected by overlapping tissue concealing tumours. Breast tomosynthesis takes advantage of multiple exposures at different angles reducing the negative effect of obscuring tissue. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the use of tomosynthesis in breast imaging with a special focus on the role of tomosynthesis in screening. Papers I and II was based on 7,500 women comprising the first half of the Malmö Breast Tomosynthesis Screening Trial (MBTST): a prospective population-based single arm study including randomly invited women 40–74 years old eligible for the screening programme in the city of Malmö. Women underwent one-view tomosynthesis with reduced compression force and mammography. The images were read and scored separately in a blinded double-reading procedure. The increase in cancer detection rate (6.3 to 8.9/1,000) and recall rate (2.6% to 3.8%) using tomosynthesis was significant (p