Potential of dose reduction after marker placement with full-field digital mammography.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of our study was to assess the potential for radiation dose reduction in digital postinterventional digital mammograms after marker placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred consecutive cases of marker placement (hook-wire localization or postbiopsy clip marker placement), with 200 full-field digital baseline mammograms (craniocaudal and mediolateral), were included in this prospective trial. For the postinterventional digital mammograms, the milliampere seconds were reduced either by 50% or by 75%. Dose-reduced images were evaluated for sufficient image quality to verify the position of the marker.

RESULTS

In 193 of 200 cases (96.5%), image quality was sufficient to verify the correct position of the marker. One (1%) case with insufficient image quality occurred in the 50% dose-reduction group and 6 (6%) in the 75% dose-reduction group (P = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that under evaluation of each individual case, a dose reduction of 50% to 75% can be recommended in postinterventional digital mammograms.