In a recent Diagnostic Imaging article, Carol H. Lee, MD, chair of the ACR Breast Imaging Commission, states that a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report which claims access to mammography services is adequate nationwide is misleading and actually shows the potential for a patient access crisis unless action is taken to boost the supply of mammography personnel.

"The trend of all the measured parameters for delivering mammography services is going in the wrong direction. The numbers of technologists, machines, and radiologists have all declined. Rather than being happy that capacity is adequate, we should take it as a wake-up call," Lee said.

According to the article, to estimate the national capacity to provide mammograms, the [GAO] authors multiplied the number of machines across the country by the number of possible mammograms per piece of equipment per year. This yielded a total capacity of 81 million mammograms per year, which would be more than enough to serve the current number of women over 40, according to the report.

"It [the study] does not take into account availability of technologists and radiologists to interpret the exams... The best quality mammography machines won't do a whole lot of good if there is no one around to take them or read them. I am worried that this is where we are headed unless something changes in this country," said Lee.

The DI article added "That broad figure of 81 million, however, does not appear to take regional supply and demand into account. As of Oct. 1, 2004, 25% (865) of the total number of U.S. counties (accounting for 3.4% of the population) had no mammography machines, not including mobile services, according to the report.

"A crisis in access will not be a sudden catastrophic event. Gradually, wait times and travel distances will increase, and fewer women will have mammograms. I am concerned that we may see a reversal of the mortality gains we have seen with screening," added Lee.

Use the link below to read the Diagnostic Imaging article in its entirety (free registration may be required).
http://www.dimag.com/showNews.jhtml?articleID=192201475

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