Mammography Recall Rates Differ Between Academic and Community Medical Centers, Study Finds

Academic medical centers have higher recall rates for mammography than do community medical centers, according to a new study in the journal Radiology.

An imaging recall occurs when a physician calls a patient back for a repeat scan. Such recalls can cause stress and anxiety for patients, according to the study.

To track recall rates, researchers compared records from five radiologists at two hospitals. The academic hospital had a recall rate of 8.6 percent, while the community practice's recall rate was 6.9 percent.

A radiologist at one of the study sites, Providence-based Rhode Island Hospital, noted that recall rates may be more of a reflection of demographic factors at each institution rather than an indicator of institutional quality. 

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