title: Image quality and dose in mammography in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe: results from IAEA projects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective is to study mammography practice from an optimisation point of view by assessing the impact of simple and immediately implementable corrective actions on image quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective multinational study included 54 mammography units in 17 countries. More than 21,000 mammography images were evaluated using a three-level image quality scoring system. Following initial assessment, appropriate corrective actions were implemented and image quality was re-assessed in 24 units.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fraction of images that were considered acceptable without any remark in the first phase (before the implementation of corrective actions) was 70% and 75% for cranio-caudal and medio-lateral oblique projections, respectively. The main causes for poor image quality before corrective actions were related to film processing, damaged or scratched image receptors, or film-screen combinations that are not spectrally matched, inappropriate radiographic techniques and lack of training. Average glandular dose to a standard breast was 1.5 mGy (mean and range 0.59-3.2 mGy). After optimisation the frequency of poor quality images decreased, but the relative contributions of the various causes remained similar. Image quality improvements following appropriate corrective actions were up to 50 percentage points in some facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor image quality is a major source of unnecessary radiation dose to the breast. An increased awareness of good quality mammograms is of particular importance for countries that are moving towards introduction of population-based screening programmes. The study demonstrated how simple and low-cost measures can be a valuable tool in improving of image quality in mammography.
authors.affiliation: Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Belgrade, Serbia. ociraj@vinca.rs
authors.forename: Olivera
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ciraj-Bjelac
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avramova-Cholakova
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beganovic
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Economides
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faj
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gershan
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grupetta
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kharita
authors.forename: Milomir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milakovic
authors.forename: Constantin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milu
authors.forename: Wilbroad E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Muhogora
authors.forename: Pirunthavany
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muthuvelu
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oola
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setayeshi
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schandorf
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ursulean
authors.forename: Ivan R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Videnovic
authors.forename: Areesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ziliukas
authors.forename: Madan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rehani
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001208:Asia; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D008327:Mammography / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity