Towards A National Protocol For Quality Control In Mammography. The Italian Experience

In the present study, data are reported regarding a Quality Control (QC) program in mammography. The results presented are based on the experimental trials of a protocol, which follows guidelines established by the European Union, elaborated and published in Italy by the Istituto Superiore di Sanita in 1995, The experimental trials were conducted in two successive phases. In the first phase, the majority of the measurements suggested by the protocol were carried out on three mammographic units in order to verify the feasibility of the measurements themselves and of the procedures suggested. In the second phase, a test sample of fourteen mammographs from the Campania Region was chosen and routine measurements were conducted on these units in order to assess their performance. The results obtained allow, on the one hand, the improvement of the measurement procedures described in the protocol and, on the other hand, point out the necessity of promoting QC programs in order to optimize mammographic examinations.