Improving Quality of Mammography Seminar

Background

Breast cancer is the most common and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.  In 2020, breast cancer accounted for nearly a quarter of new cases in the Americas, with 491,000 cases diagnosed resulting in 106,391 deaths.  Regrettably, there is a projected 40% increase by 2040. 

The goal of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) is to reduce global cancer mortality by 2.5% per year or prevent 2.5 million early deaths in women under the age of 70 years by 2020 and 2040. Within the GBCI, as part of one of the pillars, imaging plays a crucial role in early detection and timely diagnosis, thereby improving patients’ outcome.

Regular mammograms increase the likelihood of early diagnosis and timely referral treatment in women.

Mammography stands as the most valuable imaging modality for breast cancer screening, presenting significant benefits. However, these benefits are contingent upon several factors, including establishment and implementation of a quality assurance (QA) program which encompasses training, evaluation and continuing education, the selection of equipment, reporting, dissemination of results, maintenance of records and quality control (QC) tests.

In light of these considerations, a collaborative seminar titled “Improving Quality of Mammography inTrinidad and Tobago” will be offered in August. This seminar will bring key collaborators including:

1. International Society of Radiographers and Radiological technologists (ISRRT)
2. American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT)
3. MD Anderson
4. PAHO

The main objectives of the seminar are as follows:

1. To improve mammography quality which includes positioning, additional procedures, interpretation and equipment maintenance through quality control tests.