Accuracy of an Artificial Intelligence System for Interval Breast Cancer Detection at Screening Mammography

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) systems can be used to identify interval breast cancers, although the localizations are not always accurate. Purpose To evaluate AI localizations of interval cancers (ICs) on screening mammograms by IC category and histopathologic characteristics. Materials and Methods A screening mammography data set (median patient age, 57 years IQR, 52-64 years) that had been assessed by two human readers from January 2011 to December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed using a commercial AI system. The AI outputs were lesion locations (heatmaps) and the highest per-lesion risk score (range, 0-100) assigned to each case. AI heatmaps were considered false positive (FP) if they occurred on normal screening mammograms or on IC screening mammograms (ie, in patients subsequently diagnosed with IC) but outside the cancer boundary. A panel of consultant radiology experts classified ICs as normal or benign (true negative TN), uncertain (minimal signs of malignancy MS), or suspicious (false negative FN). Several specificity and sensitivity thresholds were applied. Mann-Whitney