Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing

Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)

Reference 37

Digital Mammography

Digital Mammography

Reference No.

37

Reference NameDigital Mammography
Advisory PanelDr Paul Craft
(Chair and MSAC member)
Dr Debra Graves
(MSAC member)
Mr Ian Morris
(Australian Institute of Radiology nominee)
Dr John Osborne
(Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists nominee)
Assoc Professor Richard Bell
(Medical Oncology Group of Australia nominee)
Mr John Buckingham
(Royal Australasian College of Surgeons nominee)
Ms Margaret Tassell
(Consumers' Health Forum of Australia nominee)
Dr Bronwen Harvey
(Medical Adviser, Department of Health and Ageing)
Date Received by MSAC Secretariat27 April 2006
Stage 1 - EligibilityEligible
Stage 2 - AssessmentCompleted
Stage 3 - Formulation of Advice to the MinisterThis assessment was considered by the MSAC at the 23 November 2007 meeting.

MSAC has considered the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Digital Mammography when compared with conventional film mammography:
  • as a screening test for breast cancer in asymptomatic women aged over 40 years or women at high risk; and
  • in the investigation of women with symptoms of breast cancer.

MSAC finds that Digital Mammography is as safe and as effective. There may be subgroups of patients where it is more effective.

Film mammography is being superseded by Digital Mammography and will lose technical support.

MSAC recommends that public funding is supported for this procedure under the arrangements that currently apply to film mammography”.
Stage 4 - DecisionAccepted by the Minister for Health and Ageing on 11 April 2008
Stage 5 - Implementation

Page currency, Latest update: 30 March, 2009