Patricia Mora1, Keith Faulkner2, Ahmed M Mahmoud3, Vesna Gershan4, Aruna Kausik5, Urban Zdesar6, María-Ester Brandan7, Serap Kurt8, Jasna Davidović9, Dina H Salama10, Erkin Aribal11, Clara Odio12, Arvind K Chaturvedi13, Zahida Sabih14, Saša Vujnović15, Diana Paez16, Harry Delis16. 1. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Atómicas, Nucleares y Moleculares, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica. Electronic address: patricia.mora@ucr.ac.cr. 2. Hepscott Park, Morpeth, United Kingdom. 3. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Systems, Cairo University, Egypt. 4. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Skopje, Macedonia. 5. Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India. 6. DORA Screening Programme, Ljubljana, Slovenia. 7. Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico. 8. Memeder, Istanbul, Turkey. 9. University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 10. National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt. 11. Acibadem University, Radiology Department, Altunizade Hospital, Breast Health Center, Istanbul Turkey. 12. Departamento de Radiología, Hospital Max Peralta, Costa Rica. 13. Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, India. 14. Multan Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, Multan, Pakistan. 15. University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Clinical Radiology, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 16. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through a Coordinated Research Project on "Enhancing Capacity for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer through Imaging", brought together a group of mammography radiologists, medical physicists and radiographers; to investigate current practices and improve procedures for the early detection of breast cancer by strengthening both the clinical and medical physics components. This paper addresses the medical physics component. METHODS: The countries that participated in the CRP were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Kenya, the Frmr. Yug. Rep. of Macedonia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Slovenia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Zambia. Ten institutions participated using IAEA quality control protocols in 9 digital and 3 analogue mammography equipment. A spreadsheet for data collection was generated and distributed. Evaluation of image quality was done using TOR MAX and DMAM2 Gold phantoms. RESULTS: QC results for analogue equipment showed satisfactory results. QC tests performed on digital systems showed that improvements needed to be implemented, especially in thickness accuracy, signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) values for achievable levels, uniformity and modulation transfer function (MTF). Mean glandular dose (MGD) was below international recommended levels for patient radiation protection. Evaluation of image quality by phantoms also indicated the need for improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Common activities facilitated improvement in mammography practice, including training of medical physicists in QC programs and infrastructure was improved and strengthened; networking among medical physicists and radiologists took place and was maintained over time. IAEA QC protocols provided a uniformed approach to QC measurements.
PURPOSE: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through a Coordinated Research Project on "Enhancing Capacity for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer through Imaging", brought together a group of mammography radiologists, medical physicists and radiographers; to investigate current practices and improve procedures for the early detection of breast cancer by strengthening both the clinical and medical physics components. This paper addresses the medical physics component. METHODS: The countries that participated in the CRP were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Kenya, the Frmr. Yug. Rep. of Macedonia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Slovenia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Zambia. Ten institutions participated using IAEA quality control protocols in 9 digital and 3 analogue mammography equipment. A spreadsheet for data collection was generated and distributed. Evaluation of image quality was done using TOR MAX and DMAM2 Gold phantoms. RESULTS: QC results for analogue equipment showed satisfactory results. QC tests performed on digital systems showed that improvements needed to be implemented, especially in thickness accuracy, signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) values for achievable levels, uniformity and modulation transfer function (MTF). Mean glandular dose (MGD) was below international recommended levels for patient radiation protection. Evaluation of image quality by phantoms also indicated the need for improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Common activities facilitated improvement in mammography practice, including training of medical physicists in QC programs and infrastructure was improved and strengthened; networking among medical physicists and radiologists took place and was maintained over time. IAEA QC protocols provided a uniformed approach to QC measurements.
Authors: Anand K Narayan; Huda Al-Naemi; Antar Aly; Mohammad Hassan Kharita; Ruhani Doda Khera; Mohamad Hajaj; Madan M Rehani Journal: Eur J Breast Health Date: 2020-04-01