title: Value of increasing film processing time to reduce radiation dose during mammography.
abstract: We systematically tested the effects on radiation dose and image quality of increasing the mammographic film processing time from the standard 90 sec to 3 min. Hurter and Driffield curves were obtained for a Kodak Min-R-OM1-SO177 screen-film combination processed with Kodak chemistry. Image contrast and radiation dose were measured for two tissue-equivalent breast phantoms. We also compared sequential pairs of mammograms, one processed at 90 sec and one at 3 min, from 44 patients on the basis of nine categories of image quality. Increased processing time reduced breast radiation dose by 30%, increased contrast by 11%, and produced slight overall gains in image quality. Simple modifications can convert a 90-sec processor to a 3-min unit. We recommend that implementation of extended processing be considered, especially by those centers that obtain a large number of screening mammograms. Three-minute film processing can reduce breast radiation dose by 30% and increase contrast by 11% without compromising image quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, MetroHealth Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44109.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Skubic
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yagan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oravec
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D013997:Time Factors; D014962:X-Ray Film