Director of Education Mammography Educators SAN DIEGO, CA
Poor quality mammography, particularly caused by poor positioning is a prominent barrier to the early detection of breast cancer. The FDA states that the sensitivity of mammography decrease by 18% due to poor positioning so cancers are being missed. Because mammography finds breast cancer at it's earliest stages we have become dependent on regulatory bodies (FDA/ACR/Individual States) to monitor quality. However these actions are reactive in nature and do not address the up front issue of poor training of mammography technologists. This lecture will discuss proactive methods to improve image quality through standardization of techniques that are data proven. They are also consistent and reproducible so images look more similar from year to year thus facilitating interpretation. The methods are also efficient and proficient which means less time and less repeats/technical call backs. Perhaps most importantly the technique discussed is based on solid ergonomic principles. With work related injuries so prevalent among US technologists and mammographers it is critical that they use techniques that prevent work place injuries rather than cause them. Finally, a discussion of diagnosis, treatment and survival rates and related costs to the healthcare industry will show that changes need to be made in order to provide our patients with the best in mammographic image quality.
Learning Objectives:
Discuss how poor image quality effects patient care and costs
Identify areas of improvement needed in mammography
Provide solutions for improvement in image quality