Optimum processing of mammographic film

Underprocessing of mammographic film can result in reduced contrast and visibility of breast structures and an unnecessary increase in radiation dose to the patient. Underprocessing can be caused by physical factors (low developer temperature, inadequate development time, insufficient developer agitation) or chemical factors (developer not optimized for film type; overdiluted, underreplenished, contaminated, or frequently changed developer). Conventional quality control programs are designed to produce consistent processing but do not address the issue of optimum processing. Optimum processing is defined as the level of processing that produces the film performance characteristics (contrast and sensitivity) specified by the film manufacturer. Optimum processing of mammographic film can be achieved by following a two-step protocol. The first step is to set up the processing conditions according to recommendations from the film and developer chemistry manufacturers. The second step is to verify the processing results by comparing them with sensitometric data provided by the film manufacturer.