SURVEY OF MAMMOGRAPHY IMAGE QUALITY IN THE UK

A previous report based on data collected from a large number of physi cists found a wide range in image quality in the mammography systems u sed in the UK Breast Screening Programme (UKBSP). This paper is a prel iminary report on direct measurements of image quality by one team of physicists on a representative sample of mammography systems in the UK BSP. Image quality was assessed using three mammography image quality test objects: TOR (MAX), TOR (MAM), and a contrast detail phantom. Man y factors which affect overall image quality were also measured includ ing kV, film density, focal spot size, spatial resolution, light and X ray sensitometry and mean glandular dose to the standard breast. The results on the 25 systems so far assessed is reported.