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Maintaining quality in the UK breast screening program

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conference contribution
posted on 2010-06-02, 15:45 authored by Alastair Gale
Breast screening in the UK has been implemented for over 20 years and annually nearly two million women are now screened with an estimated 1,400 lives saved. Nationally, some 700 individuals interpret screening mammograms in almost 110 screening centres. Currently, women aged 50 to 70 are invited for screening every three years and by 2012 this age range will increase to 47 - 73 years. There is a rapid ongoing transition from using film mammograms to full field digital mammography such that in 2010 every screening centre will be partly digital. An early, and long running, concern has been how to ensure the highest quality of imaging interpretation across the UK, an issue enhanced by the use of a three year screening interval. To partly address this question a self assessment scheme was developed in 1988 and subsequently implemented nationally in the UK as a virtually mandatory activity. The scheme is detailed from its beginnings, through its various developments to current incarnation and future plans. This encompasses both radiological (single view screening, two view screening, mammographic film and full field digital mammography) as well as design changes (cases reported by means of: form filling; PDA; tablet PC; iPhone, and the internet). The scheme provides a rich data source which is regularly studied to examine different aspects of radiological performance. Overall it aids screening radiologists by giving them regular access to a range of difficult exemplar cases together with feedback on their performance as compared to their peers.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Computer Science

Citation

GALE, A.G., 2010. Maintaining quality in the UK breast screening program. IN: Medical Imaging 2010: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, edited by David J. Manning, Craig K. Abbey, Proc. SPIE 7627,762702 (2010).

Publisher

© 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers

Version

  • VoR (Version of Record)

Publication date

2010

Notes

Copyright 2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic electronic or print reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited. This paper can also be found at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.846036

ISBN

9780819480286

ISSN

1605-7422

Language

  • en