Joann Elmore, MD: Mammography Guidelines and Other Controversies

In this episode, Daniel Belkin and Mitch Belkin interview Joann Elmore, MD, about screening mammography. Dr. Elmore shares insights on the USPSTF's new draft mammography recommendations, which lowers the breast cancer screening age from 50 to 40. They discuss the difference in American and European call back rates for biopsy and whether mammography screening programs have substantially improved breast cancer mortality rates or if improvements are primarily due to enhanced treatment methods. They also touch on the potential for AI to transform radiology and pathology.

Who is Joann Elmore?

Joann G. Elmore is as a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her research interests include diagnostic accuracy, physician variability, cancer screening, patient engagement, and AI/machine learning in diagnostics. She has over 200 publications.

References:

• Joann Elmore's UCLA page
• USPSTF May 2023 - proposed changes to Mammography Screening
• NEJM: Variability in Radiologists' Interpretations of Mammograms