Breast exposure: nationwide trends; a mammographic quality assurance program--results to date.

BENT (Breast Exposure: Nationwide Trends), a federal-state sponsored mammographic quality assurance program has demonstrated that unproductive radiation exposure can be reduced by identifying and correcting problems that result in poor image quality. BENT provides clinical personnel with knowledge on the performance of their mammographic system as a basis for possible improvements in image quality and for reductions in patient exposure.