Survey suggests mammography access problems likely to continue. (Declining Interest by Radiologists).

CHICAGO -- Any hassles that your patients may be experiencing trying to get a mammogram aren't likely to go away, according to the findings of two studies presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Just as the population of older Americans increases and screening compliance rates rise, it looks as though the supply of physicians interested in performing mammography is diminishing.

The reasons for mammography's lackluster image: fear of lawsuits, associated stress, low pay and the impression that it's a "female-dominated" niche, explained Dr. Lawrence Bassett of the University of California, Los Angeles.

In a recent survey aimed at assessing residents' attitudes toward mammography Dr. Bassett and his colleagues conducted a telephone survey of mostly fourth-year radiology residents from 211 programs and found that 82% of respondents considered mammography to be more stressful than all other types of imaging, 74% were more concerned about missing a mammography finding than a CT abdominal one, and 93% were more fearful about the potential malpractice liability involved with mammography than other imaging procedures.

Interest in subspecialty training also is waning. Among the 53 radiology programs that offered breast-imaging fellowships, 46 had successfully recruited fellows. When asked if they would take a mammography fellowship if offered to them, 64% of respondents said that they would have no interest in doing so, 5% were uncertain, and 31% said they would consider it.

Similarly, when asked if they wanted to spend at least a quarter of their time providing mammography services, 63% said they did not, citing ...