engleski

Implementation of quality assurance/quality control programme in mammography practice at the University Hospital of Osijek

The radiologist’s objective is to obtain accurate diagnostic information from mammography while keeping radiation dose to the breast acceptable. Image quality and patient doses in mammography depend on large number of factors such as film speed and contrast, film processing, tube voltage, breast size and composition, and automatic exposure control. Also, image viewing conditions can considerably influence overall diagnostic accuracy of mammography, especially its sensitivity. Due to number of steps involved in this process, the potential for mistakes increases. Reproducible high-quality images with reasonably low radiation doses are, in general, assured by comprehensive quality assurance / quality control (QA/QC) program and this is demanded by the Croatian radiation protection law. The national audit of mammography equipment performance, image quality and dose in Croatia was done recently. Results showed large variations in image quality and patient doses and revealed the need to continuously monitor and optimize mammography techniques. Survey pointed out that main problem in the Croatia is the lack of written QA/QC procedures. Consequently, equipment performance, image quality and dose are unstable and activities to improve image quality or to reduce the dose are not evidence based. At the University hospital of Osijek mammography QA/QC programme, based on EC (European Commission) guidelines, was implemented during the year of 2007. After we did the corrective actions based on measured data and image quality assessment, technical parameters are now within acceptable levels given by EC guidelines. Image quality is improved significantly and rate of rejected images is much less than before implementation of programme.

mammography; image quality; quality assurance

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