|
To make sure that all women have access to high-quality mammography,
a federal law--the Mammography Quality Standards Act--now requires all
mammography facilities to be certified by the FDA. Each facility must
demonstrate that it meets federal standards for equipment, personnel,
and practices.
Equipment must be capable of producing high-quality mammograms with
the lowest possible amount of radiation exposure. Furthermore, it must
be regularly checked by a radiological physicist and adjusted as
necessary to be sure that its measurements and doses are correct.
Doctors and other staff members must be specially trained to perform
and interpret breast x-rays. The technologists who take mammograms are
certified by the American Registry of Radiological Technologists or
licensed by the state; the doctors who read mammograms should be
board-certified radiologists who have taken special courses in
mammography.
The regulations also specify that mammography facilities must perform
mammography regularly and frequently, maintain quality assurance
programs, and ensure proper and timely reporting of test results.
|
