Development of a training package to increase the performance of radiographers in assessing screening mammograms

Purpose: Due to a lack of any formal training in mammographic image interpretation for radiographers in Australia, a training package was developed specifically for radiographers who were to undertake a trial of screening mammogram assessment. Methods: A PowerPoint presentation was developed and included topics such as: how best to prepare to screen read, methods of checking all areas of the breast tissue, and examples of benign and malignant lesions. The training package was made available after completion of a pilot study, and pre-post testing was conducted on the same mammograms to determine the effectiveness of training. Results: There was an overall increase in sensitivity (73-78%) with five of seven radiographers improving. The average specificity was relatively constant (71-70%), with three radiographers showing improvement. Again, overall accuracy remained constant (72%) with four radiographers improving, one remaining constant and two decreasing in accuracy. Conclusion: Guidelines for preparing and systematically checking mammogram images were helpful to most of the radiographers, with the training package helping to improve sensitivity and accuracy for the majority of participants.