The tomosynthesis studies in Bergen, the To-Be studies (2015-2023)
The tomosynthesis studies in Bergen, the To-Be studies, consisted of two separate studies - To-Be 1 and To-Be 2. These studies aimed to investigate whether it was favorable to use tomosynthesis versus standard digital mammography as a screening method in BreastScreen Norway.
To-Be 1 was a randomized controlled trial aimed at investigating early performance measures of the use of tomosynthesis in BreastScreen Norway. The study was completed in May 2021. To-Be 1 showed no statistical difference in cancer detection for tomosynthesis versus standard digital mammography. The study has received a lot of attention internationally.
To-Be 2 was a follow-up single-group clinical trial where all women were offered screening with tomosynthesis. The project ended in June 2023. We found a statistically higher cancer rate among women screened with digital breast tomosynthesis in To-Be 2 compared to To-Be 1. Reasons for the increased detection in To-Be 2 versus 1, has been explored in later studies. First generation tomosynthesis equipment and inexperienced readers were suggested as possible factors of influence.
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