New FFDM Systems Transform Mammography Services Across Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Breast Screening Program has been equipped with 14 new mobile and static Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) systems.

The new systems will replace existing analog ones and enable a higher screening rate for the estimated 74,954 eligible women aged 50–70.

The 14 MAMMOMAT systems were provided by Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) and were selected based on criteria such as image quality, ease-of-use, cost, temperature range, the user interface, and the lowest achievable radiation dose.

Siemens Healthcare also helped create an ambient screening environment including considerations such as comfort, the size of waiting rooms, and ambient lighting. Siemens also provided a Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) reader training day for radiologists to help them keep the number of images taken and radiation dose to a minimum, and improve cancer detection rates.

Jim Seymour, project manager at Siemens Healthcare, said, “We have worked very closely with Trusts across Northern Ireland to help upgrade mammography services, ensuring streamlined workflow and ultimately enabling a better experience for women. The MAMMOMAT systems are designed to set the optimal parameters dependent on breast density and thickness, ensuring even the smallest details can be detected at a low dose.”

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