Abstract
Digital technology has entered the practice of mammography. In the coming years, digital mammography will be gradually implemented in most European countries and will change the practice of mammography also from the radiographer's perspective. A computed radiography system is a quick simple conversion from analogue to digital; there is little change in workflow, whereas the introduction of full field digital mammography systems using direct radiography detectors implies a significant change. The X-ray film is replaced by solid-state detectors that convert X-rays into electrical signals, producing images that can be studied instantly on a computer screen. Thus, there are no cassettes, no markers, no bucky to change, no darkroom, no waiting to check films, and no viewboxes. Digital mammography provides higher resolution, which may improve detection, but it also pronounces folds and wrinkles, due to less optimal positioning. Considering the professional status of the radiographer, we encounter major differences in the various European countries. On the one hand, in some countries, screening radiographers are involved in film-reading and diagnostic procedures. On the other hand, the radiographer might just be the one pressing the button. Breast centres should employ well-trained specialized breast radiographers, as full members of the multidisciplinary team. They should be involved in the minimal invasive biopsy, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging techniques, as well as in upcoming new techniques, such as tomosynthesis, automated three-dimensional breast ultrasound, dual-energy contrast enhanced mammography, and so forth.
Highlights
Breast-sparing oncoplastic procedures (BSOP) offer a predictive marker guiding use of anti-oestrogen therapy, and radical new alternative to mastectomy and conventional breast- expression profiling appears to select patients more or less likely to conserving surgery in early breast cancer treatment
The aim was to document attitudes to male radiographers and the effect on the programme performance parameters through a postal questionnaire completed by 85.8% of a random sample of 2,000 women recently screened by BreastCheck
Nine per cent would not have proceeded if the radiographer was male; 17.5% agreed that ‘If there were male radiographers I would not return for another screening appointment’; and 18.3% were unsure
Summary
Breast-sparing oncoplastic procedures (BSOP) offer a predictive marker guiding use of anti-oestrogen therapy, and radical new alternative to mastectomy and conventional breast- expression profiling appears to select patients more or less likely to conserving surgery in early breast cancer treatment. We have compared the results of screening with analogue and digital technology over our first 2 years, in terms of recall rates, cancer detection rates and positive predictive value, and found no overall significant difference in any of these parameters. Abnormalities are graded as A, B or C at consensus by the radiologists and reporting radiographers depending upon the mammographic likelihood of cancer and biopsy This means that patients can be allocated to one of our three assessment clinics and at specific times within those clinics to facilitate workflow. Methods A retrospective analysis of all breast cancer patients with recurrence who had completed 5 years of follow-up was performed. Infection control is not routinely included in the quality assurance process of all units
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