Enhancing breast positioning quality through real-time AI feedback.

OBJECTIVES

Enhance mammography quality to increase cancer detection by implementing continuous AI-driven feedback mechanisms, ensuring reliable, consistent, and high-quality screening by the 'Perfect', 'Good', 'Moderate', and 'Inadequate' (PGMI) criteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To assess the impact of the AI software 'b-box' on mammography quality, we conducted a comparative analysis of PGMI scores. We evaluated scores 50 days before (A) and after the software's implementation in 2021 (B), along with assessments made in the first week of August 2022 (C1) and 2023 (C2), comparing them to evaluations conducted by two readers. Except for postsurgical patients, we included all diagnostic and screening mammograms from one tertiary hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 4577 mammograms from 1220 women (mean age: 59, range: 21-94, standard deviation: 11.18) were included. 1728 images were obtained before (A) and 2330 images after the 2021 software implementation (B), along with 269 images in 2022 (C1) and 250 images in 2023 (C2). The results indicated a significant improvement in diagnostic image quality (p < 0.01). The percentage of 'Perfect' examinations rose from 22.34% to 32.27%, while 'Inadequate' images decreased from 13.31% to 5.41% in 2021, continuing the positive trend with 4.46% and 3.20% 'inadequate' images in 2022 and 2023, respectively (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Using a reliable software platform to perform AI-driven quality evaluation in real-time has the potential to make lasting improvements in image quality, support radiographers' professional growth, and elevate institutional quality standards and documentation simultaneously.

KEY POINTS

Question How can AI-powered quality assessment reduce inadequate mammographic quality, which is known to impact sensitivity and increase the risk of interval cancers? Findings AI implementation decreased 'inadequate' mammograms from 13.31% to 3.20% and substantially improved parenchyma visualization, with consistent subgroup trends. Clinical relevance By reducing 'inadequate' mammograms and enhancing imaging quality, AI-driven tools improve diagnostic reliability and support better outcomes in breast cancer screening.