Quality Assurance in Digital Mammography

Ng, Kwan-Hoong, University of Malaya; Aparecida Correia Furquim, Tânia, Universidade de São Paulo; Jamal, Noriah, Malaysian Nuclear Agency

doi:10.1117/3.1000499.ch18

Book: Multimodality Breast Imaging: Diagnosis and Treatment

Editor(s): E. Y. K. Ng, U. Rajendra Acharya, Rangaraj M. Rangayyan, Jasjit S. Suri

Author(s): Kwan-Hoong Ng, Tânia Aparecida Correia Furquim, Noriah Jamal

Published: 2013

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.1000499.ch18

Author Affiliations +

Abstract

The chapter is intended to provide overviews of the following: ● quality assurance (QA) programs for digital mammography, ● quality control (QC) test procedures based on the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ● the role of medical physicists in mammography QA programs, including acceptance, annual, and regular QC testing, and ● the role of technologists/radiographers in mammography QA programs, including regular QC testing. Recent advances in digital detector technology have paved the way to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) systems. The performance of these systems has evolved to the point where replacement of screen-film mammography (SFM) systems is becoming realistic. FFDM has several inherent advantages, such as wide dynamic range, reduction in recall rates, potential for reduction in radiation dose, increased patient throughput, postprocessing capability, and digital acquisition. There is an urgent need to implement an effective QA program for ensuring optimum diagnostic information and patient safety.