[Quality of mammography and breast cancer screening in ArgentinaQualidade da mamografia e prevenção do câncer de mama na Argentina].

This paper presents results from the mammography quality plan of the National Breast Cancer Program at Argentina's National Cancer Institute, which focused on improving mammography quality in the public health-care sector and on using mammography to implement breast cancer screening. Plan implementation started in 2011, based on the premise that poor quality mammography impedes early diagnosis of breast cancer. At the time, there was little awareness in Argentina of the importance of quality control, and constant changes in lines of authority in the health system tended to hinder organized implementation of the program. The plan consisted of quality review and control of mammography facilities, training of technical and medical human resources, and implementation of an accreditation system for mammography services by the National Cancer Institute. Perception by involved personnel of the importance of quality improved; an overview was obtained of the state of mammography at the national level regarding quality, technology, quantity of equipment, and opportunities for implementation of screening; technical and medical personnel were trained using different methods; and standardization of mammography reading was promoted in the participating provinces.