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.

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:

D'Orsi C, Tu SP, Nakano C, Carney PA, Abraham LA, Taplin SH, Hendrick RE, Cutter GR, Berns, E, Barlow WE, Elmore JG. Current realities of delivering mammography services in the community: Do challenges with staffing and scheduling exist? Radiology 2005;235: 391-395.

Hendrick RE, Cutter GR, Berns EA, Nakano C, Egger J, Carney PA, Abraham L, Taplin SH, D'Orsi CJ, Barlow W, Elmore JG. Community-based mammography practice: services, charges, and interpretation methods. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2005;184(2):433-8.

Elmore J, Taplin S, Barlow W, Cutter G, D'Orsi C, Hendrick E, Abraham L, Fosse J, Carney P. Does litigation influence medical practice? The influence of community radiologists' medical malpractice perceptions and experience on screening mammography. Radiology 2005 July; 236(1): 37-46.

Barlow WE, Chi C, Carney PA, Taplin SH, D'Orsi C, Cutter GR, Hendrick RE, Elmore JG. Accuracy of screening mammography interpretation by characteristics of radiologists. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004; 96 (24): 1840-50.

Elmore JG, Carney PA, Abraham LA, Barlow WE, Egger JR, Fosse JS, Cutter GR, Hendrick RE, D'Orsi CJ, Paliwal P, Taplin SH. The association between obesity and screening mammography accuracy. Arch Intern Med 2004; 164(10):1140-7.