This breast imaging course covers a wide range of applicable topics. An overview of patient information about mammography from organizations like the American Cancer Society, Office on Women’s Health, CDC, and NIH is provided to get an idea of patient preconceptions about the procedure.
Results of a 2016 compliance study are discussed as well as strategies for how to help calm patient fears. This includes a look at the mammopad breast cushion and its benefits in mammography. Other topics include selecting the right size compression paddle, paddle design, the Mammospot and S.O.F.T. paddle, and equipment variances between some of the more popular imaging machines from GE Healthcare, Siemens Medical Systems, and Hologic.
The differences between rigid and flexible compression paddles are discussed as well as compression paddles for wire localization procedures. Another section of this course is devoted to adequate compression and the injuries that can be caused by mammographers who are too overzealous. This section also covers the benefits of adequate compression, including uniform tissue thickness, holding the breast tissue away from the chest wall, separating overlying structures, and how it improves the quality of the image.
Official guidelines under the Mammography Quality Standards Act are reviewed as are quality control tests from the American College of Radiology. This course also reviews considerations for special needs patients, including those who are obese, have small breasts, or are symptomatic with obvious lumps or masses. Spot compression is covered as are post-surgical patients, augmented breasts, and breast implants. Finally, the course addresses proper image labeling and identification.
This course is worth 1 CE credits and includes a 20 question multiple-choice online exam.