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Radiation doses in the United Kingdom breast screening programmes 2016-2019
John Loveland1, Kenneth C Young1, Jennifer M Oduko1
1National Coordinating Centre for the Physics in Mammography (NCCPM), Level B, St Luke's Wing, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK.
The British Journal of Radiology
|May 23, 2022
Summary
Radiation doses in UK breast screening have increased due to thicker breasts, with mean glandular dose (MGD) rising 11% since 2010-12. Increased breast thickness (CBT) is linked to age and may affect screening accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Radiological Physics
- Medical Imaging
- Public Health
Background:
- UK breast screening programs aim to detect breast cancer early.
- Radiation dose monitoring is crucial for patient safety and image quality.
- Previous studies have established baseline radiation doses and technical factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To update radiation dose records for UK breast screening.
- To identify changes in technical factors and screened population characteristics.
- To assess the impact of breast thickness on radiation dose.
Main Methods:
- Compiled mammographic exposure factors from 68,998 women across 411 X-ray sets in the UK.
- Measured local output and half value layer for each X-ray set.
- Estimated mean glandular dose (MGD) using the standard UK method.
Main Results:
- Mean MGD increased by 11% for digital mammography (MLO and CC views) since 2010-12.
- Mean compressed breast thickness (CBT) increased by 4.8% (CC) and 5.2% (MLO).
- Mean MLO CBT (62.4 mm) exceeded the diagnostic reference range; MGD correlates with CBT, peaking at 1.44 mGy for 50-60 mm CBT.
Conclusions:
- Increased mean CBT has led to higher mean MGDs in UK digital mammography.
- Breast size appears to be increasing in the UK population.
- Age-related changes influence breast thickness and potentially screening outcomes.
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