The course begins with an overview of mammography equipment going as far back as the 1960s. Essential steps to producing a quality mammogram image are reviewed as are instrumentation, mammography tubes, mammographic target materials, Bremsstrahlung interactions, photoelectric interactions, anode angles, and anode heel effect.
Top factors that affect image quality are explained, including system geography, magnification techniques, beam restriction devices, grids, and technical variables like automatic exposure control, image contrast, subject contrast, kilovoltage, and full, semi-automatic, and manual exposure modes.
Analog and digital mammography are compared, including the limitations of analog and the differences in how each method generates, captures, processes images. Digital image quality is discussed as well as the reasons that an image may fail to identify breast cancer. Breast tissue types and the American College of Radiology’s BI-RADS composition categories are explained and the decimal number system versus the binary number system is covered. This course extensively covers the four types of digital x-ray systems including a full list of various FDA-approved units.
Direct and indirect capture, detectors and monitors, and pixel size are also discussed. Common digital photography principles are reviewed to show how they directly relate to mammography. These principles include image resolution, wide dynamic range, response curves, and field of view. Digital radiography and computed radiography are also compared. This course explains the benefits of digital mammography for the technologist, radiologist, facility, and patient, touching on digital workflow and post-exposure image manipulation.
This self-directed in-depth course is worth 8 continuing education credits.