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[Physics, dosimetry, and quality control in mammography]
La Radiologia Medica
|November 1, 1993
Summary
Optimizing mammography ensures high-quality breast cancer screening images at the lowest radiation dose. Many centers struggle with dose-quality balance, highlighting the need for robust quality assurance programs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiology
- Oncology
Background:
- Mammography's diagnostic value depends on image quality and radiation dose.
- Current optimal mammography uses Molybdenum anode X-ray tubes and specific filtration.
- Standardizing dose measurement to "average glandular tissue dose" is recommended.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the dose-quality ratio in mammography examinations.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of quality assurance programs in Italy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mammography examination parameters, including X-ray tube specifications and filtration.
- Measurement of radiation dose using "average glandular tissue dose".
- Evaluation of 272 Italian centers against established quality criteria.
Main Results:
- Threshold values for average glandular tissue dose are established (e.g., 1.8-3 mGy with grid).
- Only 37.5% of Italian centers met acceptable dose-quality criteria.
- Significant percentages of centers showed low quality (24.5%), high dose (23.7%), or both (14.1%).
Conclusions:
- Quality assurance programs are crucial for maintaining mammography standards.
- Many centers require improvement to achieve optimal dose-quality balance for breast cancer screening.
- The Italian "Dose and Quality in Mammography" program aims to address these issues.