Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37939048›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Understanding the needs of women undergoing breast ultrasound: Are male radiologists still needed?

Elisabeth Sartoretti, Selina Largiadèr, Thomas Sartoretti, Simin Laures, Martin Alexander Walter, Eva Monti, Ina Füchsel, Mira Dettling, Stephan Pfister, Peter Dubsky and 12 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 66% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors at 10 institutions in 5 countries.

Elisabeth SartorettiDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Selina LargiadèrDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Thomas SartorettiDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-4812-987X
Simin LauresInstitute of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
Martin Alexander WalterDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Eva MontiDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Ina FüchselDepartment of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Mira DettlingDepartment of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Stephan PfisterInstitute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Peter DubskySt. Anna Breast Center, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Alexander OrtDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-0112-9052
Sabine Sartoretti-ScheferDepartment of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Matthias MeissnitzerDepartment of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Klaus HerganDepartment of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Rosemarie ForstnerDepartment of Radiology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Simon MatooriFaculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
Rasmus Bech-HohenbergerFaculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
John M FroehlichInstitute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Tino PlümeckeDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Dorothee HarderDepartment of Radiology, University Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Dow Mu KohDepartment of Radiology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Andreas GutzeitDepartment of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0001-3867-1155
University of Lucerne · CHKantonsspital Winterthur · CHParacelsus Medical University · ATHirslanden Klinik St. Anna · CHBreast Center · CHKantonsspital Aarau · CHRoyal Marsden Hospital · GBUniversité de Montréal · CAUniversity of Basel · CHUniversity of Copenhagen · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionA trend towards less male radiologists specializing in breast ultrasound was observed. A common notion in the field of breast radiology is, that female patients feel more comfortable being treated by female radiologists. The aim of the study was to understand and report the needs of women undergoing breast ultrasound with regards to the sex of the radiologist performing the investigation.

methodsInformed consent was obtained from all patients prior to inclusion in a prospective bi-center quality study. At center 1 (72 patients), the women were examined exclusively by female radiologists, at center 2 (100 patients) only by male radiologists. After the examination the patients were asked about their experiences and their wishes for the future.

resultsOverall, women made no distinction between female and male radiologists; 25% of them wanted a female radiologist and 1.2% wanted a male radiologist. The majority (74%) stated that it made no difference whether a female or male radiologist performed the examination. The majority of women in group 2, who were investigated exclusively by male radiologists, stated that they had no preferences with regard to the sex of the radiologist (93%); 5% of the women wished to be investigated solely by a female radiologist and 2% exclusively by a male radiologist. DISCUSSION: The majority of women undergoing breast ultrasound are unconcerned about the radiologist's sex. It would appear that women examined by male radiologists are less selective about the sex of the examining radiologist.

trial registrationWritten informed consent was obtained from all patients. All patient data were anonymized. The physicians had no access to any further personal data. National regulations did not require dedicated ethics approval with anonymized lists or retrospective questionnaires.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsPhysiciansFemaleHumansMaleProspective StudiesRadiologistsRetrospective StudiesUltrasonography, Mammary

Identifiers

PMID37939048
PMCPMC10631629
OpenAlexW4388488440

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.