General practitioners' perspectives on targeted breast ultrasound as primary diagnostic test in women with focal breast complaints: An interview study.

Introduction: The high diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound opens possibilities to shift towards an initial ultrasound approach for the evaluation of focal breast complaints in women, with only additional DBT in case of unclear or suspicious ultrasound findings. As general practitioners (GPs) are important stakeholders in the diagnostic pathway, this study focuses on GPs perspective on ultrasound as primary diagnostic imaging test, as well as the GP referral process. Methods: Sixteen Dutch GPs were interviewed on the referral process and their perceived barriers and facilitators of initial ultrasound diagnostics in women presenting with focal breast complaints. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Results: Thematic analysis identified themes related to 1) the routine breast consult ( Conclusion: Participants seemed to welcome ultrasound-only diagnostics for the evaluation of women's focal breast complaints, emphasizing multiple benefits for both the patients and GPs. They, however, also addressed various challenges that should be taken into consideration when actually practicing an initial ultrasound approach.