[Teleradiology - as a result of recent developments in digital imaging and informatics - appears to be a technology potentially responding to many challenges in the field of diagnostic radiology. It may help in the centralization of service, in the support of emergency care, and in the more accurate diagnosis of cases requiring special skill. Outsourcing of imaging diagnostic reporting activities may solve human resource problems and may decrease wage expenditures. Nevertheless teleradiology exposes also some difficulties (human and technical aspects) which we should recognize in time for being able to protect ourselves.]

[INTRODUCTION - Breast cancer screening has been started in January 1. 2002. in Hungary in the course of the National Health Program. Breast cancer is the main cause of death among women’s malignant tomors, and the aim of the project is to reduce this mortality. The chance of survival is highly increased by the early detection of the disease. Kenezy Breast Center was connected to this project. PATIENTS AND METHODES - Females between 45-65 years without symptoms participated in the project. Paralel to this women with symptoms, sometimes with palplable masses were clinically examined. Screening mammography films were read by two radiologists and the complementary examinations of the breast and the axillary lymph nodes - ultrasonography, guided biopsy (FNAB, core biopsy) - were performed always by the same doctor. Results of the two projects were compared. RESULTS - The incidence of malignant breast cancer was 4‰ in the screening and 1,5% in the clinical group. 46.5% of the malignant breast cancers revealed by the clinical examinations was diagnosed in the group of women between the age of 45 to 65 years. This is the age when most women are involved in the screening program. 7.3% of the tumors was diagnosed in the 40- 44 year age-group and 11.3% among women aging 66-77 years. The rate of malignant tumors smaller than 1.5 cm was 49.1% according to screening records and 36% in the clinical trial. In both groups, tumor size of 1.5 cm proved to be a critical limit regarding to the development of metastases, mainly in the axillary region. Above this size, metastases were more frequent. CONCLUSIONS - Both breast screening program and clinical exams are of great significance. Based on the data obtained during two years, authors found that women below the age of 40 and above the age of 65 should also be involved in the screening program. Detection of breast tumor is possible at an early stage by screening. In the case of small tumors (smaller than 1.5 cm) the development of axillary metastases is less likely than in the case of larger ones. The lack of metastases in the axillary lymph nodes offers better prognosis according to the published scientific data, which reinforces the importance and necessity of the screening programs.]