The impact of image blurring in FFDM

Three-yearly mammographic breast screening was introduced into the UK in the late 1980s using analogue filmscreen. This initially entailed one projection for each breast (medio-lateral); in 2004 a second projection (cranio-caudal) was introduced to improve cancer detection rates. Around 2010 digital technology replaced film and full field digital mammography (FFDM) became prevalent within the UK. It was thought this heralded the elimination of many technical artefactual problems associated with analogue imaging systems, however, subsequent audits conducted by individual screening units and image reader observations regarding image quality started to report a concerning number of blurred FFDM images at unit level, and the problem has since become more widely recognised. This article outlines the current problem of blurred FFDM images in the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP), with a particular emphasis on implications.

The content on this page is provided by the individuals concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.