Radiation doses received in the UK breast screening programmes 2019-2023

Abstract

Objective: To report the latest UK mammography dose survey results and to compare radiation doses from digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and full-field digital mammography (FFDM) in UK breast screening. Methods: Anonymized exposure factors were collected for 111 152 screening cases and 5113 assessment cases from 405 x-ray sets across the United Kingdom using an online submission system linked to a national database of mammography quality control data. Output and beam quality measurements from each set were combined with exposure data to estimate mean glandular doses (MGD). Results: FFDM doses increased by ~10% compared to the 2016-2019 national survey but compressed breast thicknesses (CBT) remained similar. DBT doses were 34%-40% higher than FFDM overall and 34% higher than FFDM for breasts 50-60 mm thick. We found a possible overestimation of PMMA breast equivalent thicknesses at low CBTs, but the evidence was not conclusive. Conclusion: Recent changes to the mix of x-ray models in use in UK breast screening have resulted in higher FFDM breast doses. DBT doses in the NHSBSP are on average higher than FFDM by ~34%-40%. Advances in knowledge: This is the first national study to report DBT and FFDM MGDs in UK breast screening.