Ongoing Collaborations: FAVOR Study (Factors Affecting Variability of Radiologists)

The Factors Affecting Variability of Radiologists (FAVOR) study is an NCI-funded R01 research grant that is utilizing BCSC surveillence data to study the variability in radiologists in community mammography settings. Despite the proven value of mammography, its efficacy depends in large part on radiologists' interpretative skills, and radiologists differ substantially in their interpretations. Therefore, the aims of the FAVOR team, lead by Joann Elmore at the University of Washington are to:

• to use statistical methods to estimate the accuracy of mammography at the level of individual radiologists and better understand reasons for variability;
• to better understand radiologist level characteristics associated with interpretative performance; and
• to evaluate the feasibility and impact of an interactive web-based educational intervention and new audit reporting system.

BCSC data from three registries -- New Hampshire Mammography Network, Colorado Mammography Project, and Group Health -- are being used for the statistical modeling for the project.

Please contact Joann Elmore, MD or Natalia Oster if interested in using these data.

The FAVOR group is also assisting scientists from all of the BCSC sites in an investigation of the association of radiologists' interpretive volume and their performance in mammography. This new study is jointly funded by the American Cancer Society and the NCI. For more details on this study, please see Collaborations: American Cancer Society.

FAVOR Surveys:

• Survey of Mammography Facilities
• FAVOR I Mammography Practice Survey
• FAVOR II Mammography Practice Survey

FAVOR Publications:

Taplin S, Abraham L, Barlow WE, Fenton JJ, Berns EA, Carney PA, Cutter GR, Sickles EA, Carl D, Elmore JG. Mammography facility characteristics associated with interpretive accuracy of screening mammography. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008 Jun 18;100(12):876-87.

Woodard DB, Gelfand AE, Barlow WE, Elmore JG. Performance assessment for radiologists interpreting screening mammography. Stat Med 2007 Mar 30;26(7):1532-51.

Fenton JJ, Taplin SH, Carney PA, Abraham L, Sickles EA, D'Orsi C, Berns EA, Cutter G, Hendrick RE, Barlow WE, Elmore JG. Influence of computer-aided detection on performance of screening mammography. N Engl J Med 2007 Apr 5;356(14):1399-409.

Miglioretti DL, Smith-Bindman R, Abraham L, Brenner RJ, Carney PA, Bowles EJ, Buist DS, Elmore JG. Radiologist characteristics associated with interpretive performance of diagnostic mammography. J Natl Cancer Inst 2007 Dec 19;99(24):1854-63.

>> Complete FAVOR bibliography