[Assessment of mammographic units in Poland in the view of current requirements of radiation protection regulations].
The aim of mammography examination is to discover as soon as possible any structural changes in a breast tissue. Every X-ray examination exposure the patient to the radiation as it takes place in mamnography images might be a cause of cancer. In this publication the dynamics growth of mammnography units number in Poland in years 1995,1997 and 2002 has been analyzed. The distribution of mammography units in Poland has been examined. The places of mammography units exploitation in regard to the type of health service institution has been determined. In this publication the manufacturers and the age of mammography units as a prerequisite to determine whether the specified mammography unit complies with the actual requirements in radiation protection regulations have been taken into consideration. The mammography laboratory equipment for providing quality control and the method of developing X-ray films has been also analyzed. It has been ascertained that about 25 % of mammography units do not comply with current technical requirements and they should be withdrawn from exploitation. However, it should be pointed out that there were only 554 mammography units in Poland at the end of year 2002. Their unequal distribution do not provide satisfactory availability to examinations for patients. As a result of this, the principal method of withdrawing them from exploitation should be replacing the time-worn the X-ray apparatuses with the new ones.
Bekas
Marcin
M
Zakład Ochrony Radiologicznej i Radiobiologii, Państwowy Zakład Higieny, Warszawa. mbekas@pzh.gov.pl
Pachocki
Krzysztof A
KA
Rózycki
Zdzisław
Z
Wieprzowski
Kamil
K
Fabiszewska
Ewa
E
D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011044:Poland; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011786:Quality Control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards