BreastScreen NSW Introduces Machine Reading Technology in an Australian First

Innovative technology enhances mammography interpretation, maintaining high cancer detection rates while supporting NSW’s growing population.

BreastScreen NSW has become the first population-based screening program in Australia to implement advanced machine reading technology to assist radiologists in interpreting certain mammography images.

“BreastScreen NSW is focused on supporting our expert clinical workforce with the latest technology to provide decisions in a timely way. The success of BreastScreen NSW will continue to rest on the expertise, experience and commitment of our dedicated workforce and I thank our dedicated radiologists for their invaluable contributions and support as we have worked to roll out this technology.” – said, BreastScreen Clinical Director, Nalini Bhola

This integration of technology will help BreastScreen NSW maintain its high-quality service while addressing the needs of the growing population in New South Wales.

The technology, which has been successfully used in similar international screening programs, was thoroughly tested in a world-first study conducted by BreastScreen NSW. The study demonstrated that the new technology delivered results comparable to the current screening methods, without impacting cancer detection rates.

“By combining the strength of technology with the expertise of BreastScreen’s radiologists, machine reading will help support the thousands of women accessing our state’s breast screening services.

In partnership with our world-class radiologists, BreastScreen NSW is driving ground-breaking research and innovation that will ensure women have the best chance at detecting and treating cancer in its earliest stages.” – said Professor Tracey O’Brien, NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW

About BreastScreen NSW 

BreastScreen NSW is a government-funded breast cancer screening program in New South Wales, Australia. It provides free mammograms to women aged 50 to 74, aiming to detect breast cancer early and reduce mortality rates through early intervention. The service offers regular screening every two years for eligible women. It is part of the national breast cancer screening initiative designed to raise awareness and provide access to life-saving tests.

Tracey O’Brien:

“Embracing new technology is key to our work in health care, and in partnership with BreastScreen NSW radiologists, we’re proud to have introduced the use of machine reading technology.

Used by an increasing number of international health agencies, this technology will support radiologists in reading breast images and set NSW up to support the growing number of women accessing the BreastScreen service – a number that will only increase as our population ages.

Getting it right was key, which is why over a two year period, our team at the Cancer Institute NSW undertook one of the largest research studies of its kind to ensure the technology was safe and effective in detecting breast cancer.

I’d like to thank the countless people, particularly our expert radiologists, for working with us to thoroughly test and evaluate this new technology and take the steps needed to continue delivering quality care to women across NSW.”

Cancer Institute NSW:

“The Cancer Institute NSW is excited to announce new, cutting-edge technology will support radiologists across BreastScreen NSW services.

BreastScreen NSW is Australia’s first population-based screening program to integrate machine reading technology to interpret a select range of mammography images.

This innovation is part of the Institute’s commitment to support our health workforce, while delivering world class services for people across NSW.”