Software Developed For Reliable Screening of Mammograms

A British researcher revealed that a computerized system used for screening mammograms could save lives by diagnosing breast cancer results which doctors may miss.

The research came as there have been an increasing number of cases in which doctors failed to discern cancers.

Michael Brady, who spent 20 years designing the mammography software claim, the Volpara system reduced the number of missed cancer cases from about 20 percent to 5 percent in clinical trials of 2,500 women carried in the United States, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

"Mammograms are notoriously difficult to interpret, even experienced radiologists evaluate scans differently, so automating the system would make the process much more reliable", Brady told the Royal Academy of Engineering in London in his acceptance speech.

Brady, a biomedical researcher, has been honored with the prestigious Sir Frank Whittle Medal, an engineering prize given annually in Britain, for his outstanding contribution to the nation by his work, The Times of London reported Monday.

"Mammograms are notoriously difficult to interpret, even experienced radiologists evaluate scans differently, so automating the system would make the process much more reliable", Brady told the Royal Academy of Engineering in London in his acceptance speech.