Evaluation of patient dose for mammography in Pernambuco, Brazil

The aim of this study is to evaluate the incident air kerma (INAK) and the mean glandular dose (MGD) during mammography in Recife, North-east Brazil. The study was performed in three institutions: a private clinic (A), a public hospital (B) and a private hospital (C). The incident air kerma to mammography procedures were estimated using a standard breast phantom and the patient MGD, evaluated in the units B and C, was performed using the calibration of output method. This method involves the recording of the patient exposure parameters (kVp, mAs, filter) and the measurement of these parameters of the incident air kerma using a calibrated ionisation chamber. The results obtained showed that INAK for the standard breast phantom, in the institutions A, B and C, were 18.2, 9.4 and 8.5 mGy, respectively. The results of patient MGD values ranged from 0.23 to 7.46 mGy per film, and the MGD values per woman were between 8.23 and 40.6 mGy for the C institution and between 1.50 and 18.78 mGy for the B institution.