A stepwedge-based method for measuring breast density: observer variability and comparison with human reading

Jenny Diffey; Michael Berks; Alan Hufton; Camilla Chung; Rosanne Verow; Joanna Morrison; Mary Wilson; Caroline Boggis; Julie Morris; Anthony Maxwell; Susan Astley

doi:10.1117/12.844265

18 March 2010 A stepwedge-based method for measuring breast density: observer variability and comparison with human reading

Jenny Diffey, Michael Berks, Alan Hufton, Camilla Chung, Rosanne Verow, Joanna Morrison, Mary Wilson, Caroline Boggis, Julie Morris, Anthony Maxwell, Susan Astley

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7622, Medical Imaging 2010: Physics of Medical Imaging; 76220A (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844265
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Breast density is positively linked to the risk of developing breast cancer. We have developed a semi-automated, stepwedge-based method that has been applied to the mammograms of 1,289 women in the UK breast screening programme to measure breast density by volume and area. 116 images were analysed by three independent operators to assess inter-observer variability; 24 of these were analysed on 10 separate occasions by the same operator to determine intra-observer variability. 168 separate images were analysed using the stepwedge method and by two radiologists who independently estimated percentage breast density by area. There was little intra-observer variability in the stepwedge method (average coefficients of variation 3.49% - 5.73%). There were significant differences in the volumes of glandular tissue obtained by the three operators. This was attributed to variations in the operators' definition of the breast edge. For fatty and dense breasts, there was good correlation between breast density assessed by the stepwedge method and the radiologists. This was also observed between radiologists, despite significant inter-observer variation. Based on analysis of thresholds used in the stepwedge method, radiologists' definition of a dense pixel is one in which the percentage of glandular tissue is between 10 and 20% of the total thickness of tissue.

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Jenny Diffey, Michael Berks, Alan Hufton, Camilla Chung, Rosanne Verow, Joanna Morrison, Mary Wilson, Caroline Boggis, Julie Morris, Anthony Maxwell, and Susan Astley "A stepwedge-based method for measuring breast density: observer variability and comparison with human reading", Proc. SPIE 7622, Medical Imaging 2010: Physics of Medical Imaging, 76220A (18 March 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844265

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