Improved Breast Cancer Detection with Computer-Aided Diagnostic System

Recent research has unveiled significant advancements in breast cancer detection with the utilization of a Computer-Aided Diagnostic (CAD) system. This innovative approach offers substantial benefits over conventional ultrasound methods, particularly in the realm of identifying malignant breast tumours. This study was published in Heliyon journal by Song P. and colleagues.

The study, conducted between March 2021 and July 2023, examined 123 patients with breast masses. By utilizing pathology results from biopsies or surgeries as the gold standard, the diagnostic performance of CAD was compared with that of conventional ultrasound. The research yielded several critical findings:

• Enhanced Specificity and Accuracy: CAD demonstrated a notably higher specificity (92.71%) and accuracy (93.5%) when compared to conventional ultrasound (specificity: 62.5%, accuracy: 69.92%).
  
• Robust AUC: The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) of CAD significantly surpassed that of conventional ultrasonography (0.9450 vs. 0.7940), signifying its superior diagnostic capability.
  
• Consistent Performance for Smaller Tumors: Even among patients with smaller masses (≤20 mm), CAD maintained its effectiveness. It exhibited higher specificity (91.43%), accuracy (90.70%), and AUC (0.8946) compared to conventional ultrasound (specificity: 51.43%, accuracy: 58.14%).
  
• Effective Downgrading: CAD successfully downgraded 31 patients initially classified as BI-RADS 4A and 4B, with subsequent confirmation that these cases were benign.
  

The findings of this study underscore the value of incorporating CAD systems into breast cancer screening and diagnosis protocols. CAD not only enhances diagnostic accuracy but also aids in the identification of benign lesions, particularly in cases initially categorised as BI-RADS 4A. This advancement has the potential to reduce the need for invasive procedures, minimising patient discomfort and healthcare costs.

Reference:

Song, P., Zhang, L., Bai, L., Wang, Q., & Wang, Y. Diagnostic performance of ultrasound with computer-aided diagnostic system in detecting breast cancer. Heliyon,2023;9(10):e20712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20712