The Screening Tomosynthesis Trial with Advanced Reader Methods (STREAM): design and rationale of a population-based breast cancer screening trial.

Objectives: It is uncertain what the effects of introducing digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme would be on detection, recall, and interval cancers (ICs), while reading times are expected to increase. Therefore, an investigation into the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of DBT screening while optimising reading is required.

Materials And Methods: The Screening Tomosynthesis trial with advanced REAding Methods (STREAM) aims to include 17,275 women (age 50-72 years) eligible for breast cancer screening in the Netherlands for two biennial DBT screening rounds to determine the short-, medium-, and long-term effects and acceptability of DBT screening and identify an optimised strategy for reading DBT.

Pain Experience and Image Quality with Curved versus Standard Compression for Breast Cancer Screening Mammography: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background A curve-shaped compression paddle could reduce the pain experienced by some women at breast cancer screening. Purpose To compare curved and standard compression systems in terms of pain experience and image quality in mammography screening. Materials and Methods In this randomized controlled trial conducted between October 2021 and February 2022, participants screened at three screening sites in the Netherlands were randomized to either a curved-paddle or sham-paddle group.

Development and use of health outcome descriptors: a guideline development case study.

Background: During healthcare guideline development, panel members often have implicit, different definitions of health outcomes that can lead to misunderstandings about how important these outcomes are and how to balance benefits and harms. McMaster GRADE Centre researchers developed 'health outcome descriptors' for standardizing descriptions of health outcomes and overcoming these problems to support the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) Guideline Development Group (GDG). We aimed to determine which aspects of the development, content, and use of health outcome descriptors were valuable to guideline developers.

Mammography in females with an implanted medical device: impact on image quality, pain and anxiety.

Objective: To assess the image quality of mammograms in females with an implanted medical device (IMD), to evaluate pain and anxiety during mammography in these females and to investigate the experience of radiographers.

Methods: Image quality was evaluated by two radiographers and one radiologist in the images of females with an IMD participating in the Dutch screening programme (clients). Pain and anxiety were scored using a Numeric Rating Scale in both clients visiting a screening organization and patients from the Isala Hospital, Zwolle.

[The correct mammographic positioning in breast cancer screening].

Objective: To compare the positioning quality of mammograms produced by new (NRs) versus experienced (ERs) screening radiographers in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme.

Design: Retrospective study.

Method: NRs must successfully complete an education programme before being allowed to start work in Dutch screening practice.

Mammography with and without radiolucent positioning sheets: Comparison of projected breast area, pain experience, radiation dose and technical image quality.

Purpose: To compare projected breast area, image quality, pain experience and radiation dose between mammography performed with and without radiolucent positioning sheets.

Methods: 184 women screened in the Dutch breast screening programme (May-June 2012) provided written informed consent to have one additional image taken with positioning sheets. 5 cases were excluded (missing data).

Mammographic positioning quality of newly trained versus experienced radiographers in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme.

Purpose: Our purpose was to compare mammographic positioning quality of new (NR) versus experienced screening radiographers (ER) in the Netherlands.

Methods And Materials: Before starting to work in breast screening, NR must complete an education programme including a theoretical course (four days), practical training (six weeks), and a portfolio-review of 50 mammographic screening examinations performed by the radiographer. Furthermore, Dutch screening has an extensive system of quality assurance, including an audit-review of positioning quality of mammograms by ER.

Comparison of a flexible versus a rigid breast compression paddle: pain experience, projected breast area, radiation dose and technical image quality.

Purpose: To compare pain, projected breast area, radiation dose and image quality between flexible (FP) and rigid (RP) breast compression paddles.

Methods: The study was conducted in a Dutch mammographic screening unit (288 women). To compare both paddles one additional image with RP was made, consisting of either a mediolateral-oblique (MLO) or craniocaudal-view (CC).