1. About This Course
This presentation has been designed specifically to give radiologists, radiographers and other relevant medical staff the mammography dose optimisation training as required by the Directorate Radiation Control (SAHPRA). The course contents are in line with IAEA guidelines for mammography dose optimisation training.
2. About the Presenter
Dr Tobias Kotzé
Dr Tobias Kotzé is a consultant medical physicist. He was previously the deputy-Director and head of the Radionuclide section at the Directorate Radiation Control, SAHPRA and a medical physicist at Groote Schuur Hospital. He is currently a SAHPRA Technical Advisory Committee member for Radiation Protection, as well as a member of the IRPA (International Radiation Protection Association) Task Group on Radiation Protection Training.
3. Who Should Attend
Radiologists, radiographers and other relevant medical staff involved in mammography.
4. Course Benefits
This presentation provides training for radiologists, radiographers and other relevant medical staff in dose optimisation in mammography. It fulfils the regulatory requirement of the Directorate Radiation Control (SAHPRA).
5. Presentation Outline
Training on Dose Optimisation in Mammography
5.1 History
Topics include: Limits of conventional radiography, and radiation risks.
5.2 Principles
Topics include: Image quality versus radiation dose, and Risk versus Benefit.
5.3 Mammography dose metrics
Topics include: Mean Glandular Dose (MGD), factors affecting MGD, and typical MGD values
5.4 Optimising Breast Compression
Topics include: Why compression reduces dose, improved contrast, reduced scatter radiation, reduced motion blur, appropriate compression force, managing patient discomfort, communication techniques with patients.
5.5 Exposure parameters and AEC
Topics include: Tube voltage (kVp), mAs, Automatic Exposure Control (AEC), manual exposures, influence of breast thickness, breast density, proper positioning of AEC sensors.
5.6 Target/Filter combinations
Topics include: Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, Rh/Rh, tungsten targets, beam hardening, HVL, spectral optimisation, and the effect on dose and image quality .
5.7 Image Quality Optimisation
Topics include: Spatial resolution, contrast, noise, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, detector performance, detectability of microcalcifications, and image quality criteria.
5.8 Dose Optimisation
Topics include: Full-field digital mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), synthetic 2D images, comparison of doses, and dose saving technologies.
5.9 Quality assurance
Topics include: SAHPRA requirements, who may perform QA, acceptance QA, routine QA, Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs), typical DRLs, dose audits, staff training, and daily QC.
5.10 Dose monitoring
Topics include: Dose trends, patient doses exceeding 5 Gy, reject analysis, and radiation risk communication.
6. Course Dates for 2027
Presentations have been scheduled for 29 January 2027 and 30 July 2027, from 07h00 till 08h00 AM (including Q&A).
7. Course Fee
CPD certificate fee: R300.00 + R45.00 (VAT) = R345.00
(free for Life Healthcare (affiliated) employees)
8. CPD Certificate
HPCSA CPD accreditation by the University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences.
A CPD certificate for 1 HPCSA clinical CPD point will be issued to all attendees registered with the HPCSA or the Nursing Council of South Africa.
9. On-line Presentation Information
Please check our website https://radiation-consulting.co.za/dose-optimisation-in-mammography/ for the latest dates.
You do not have to register for these training meetings, you can just join. The MS Teams meeting ID and Passcode are as follows (it will be the same Meeting ID and Passcode for all the meetings in 2023):
- Meeting ID: 415 675 145 857 2
- Passcode: Wh7pz2vq
The meetings will only open 10 minutes before the start for participants to join (you can only join once the host has opened the meeting).
An attendance register will be automatically created by the MS Teams platform, which will indicate for how long you have been part of the meeting.
You can get only one CPD certificate per calendar year, irrespective of how many meetings you attend during the year.
A PDF copy of the presentation will be provided with all certificates.
More than 125 presentations in dose optimisation already given since 2016.
The presentation will also be made available on Moodle for Life Healthcare employees.
10. Downloadable Documents