Digital mammography and related technologies: a perspective from the National Cancer Institute.

The National Cancer Institute held a workshop entitled "Breast Imaging: State-of-the-Art and Technologies of the Future" in September 1991. This article describes some of the presentations given at the workshop as well as relevant data in the literature and discusses their implications. The workshop faculty identified digital mammography as the evolving technology with the greatest potential impact on management of breast cancer. On the basis of the workshop findings and literature review, the author proposed to form the National Digital Mammography Development Group, which will stimulate research in digital mammography and its integration with related technologies: image processing for improved lesion contrast, automated computer-aided diagnosis for enhanced breast cancer detection and characterization, and teleradiology for facilitated radiologic consultation with recognized experts in the field. It is expected that the National Digital Mammography Development Group will facilitate transfer of advanced digital imaging technology to breast cancer clinics.