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  • Title: Value of increasing film processing time to reduce radiation dose during mammography.
    Author: Skubic SE, Yagan R, Oravec D, Shah Z.
    Journal: AJR Am J Roentgenol; 1990 Dec; 155(6):1189-93. PubMed ID: 2122664.
    Abstract:
    We systematically tested the effects on radiation dose and image quality of increasing the mammographic film processing time from the standard 90 sec to 3 min. Hurter and Driffield curves were obtained for a Kodak Min-R-OM1-SO177 screen-film combination processed with Kodak chemistry. Image contrast and radiation dose were measured for two tissue-equivalent breast phantoms. We also compared sequential pairs of mammograms, one processed at 90 sec and one at 3 min, from 44 patients on the basis of nine categories of image quality. Increased processing time reduced breast radiation dose by 30%, increased contrast by 11%, and produced slight overall gains in image quality. Simple modifications can convert a 90-sec processor to a 3-min unit. We recommend that implementation of extended processing be considered, especially by those centers that obtain a large number of screening mammograms. Three-minute film processing can reduce breast radiation dose by 30% and increase contrast by 11% without compromising image quality.
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