European guidelines for quality assurance in mammography screening, 3rd edition

Summary:

Breast cancer remains a major cause of mortality and morbidity, and of significant concern to many women in the Member States. Mammography is a widely used imaging procedure, whether performed for screening or diagnostic purposes. The exact number performed throughout Europe each year is unknown, but probably in excess of ten million examinations. The UK, Dutch and Swedish screening programmes alone perform nearly three million mammograms annually, and in those countries with organised screening programmes mammography is likely to be the third commonest radiographic procedure following chest and peripheral bone X-rays. The major benefits of breast screening are the early detection of breast cancer and the subsequent reduction in mortality from the disease. The potential harm caused by mammography includes the creation of unnecessary anxiety and morbidity, inappropriate economic cost and the use of ionising radiation. It is for this reason that the strongest possible emphasis on quality control and quality assurance is required.