IMPACT OF SEVERAL RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR IMPROVING IMAGE QUALITY IN MAMMOGRAPHY

The dose/image quality relationship of mammography in the area of Madr id was studied during the period 1989-91. As a conclusion, several act ions were recommended to the facilities and its impact was evaluated d uring the period 1992-93. The results showed that the replacement of t he old X ray units with modem ones provided the major improvement in t he image quality. Conversely, the breast doses were increased due to t he presence of a grid (64%). However, this increase was balanced by th e major improvement found in image quality. The replacement of the ima ge receptors by high contrast screen-film combinations did not produce a noticeable variation in the image quality. However, this action was important in reducing the breast doses (62%). Overall the actions res ulting from quality control recommendations slightly improved the imag e quality but the doses were reduced by 41%.