Mammography is the recommended diagnostic and screening tool for the early detection of breast cancer. Maintaining high quality of mammography services is crucial, yet challenging in limited resource settings. Mammography services require quality equipment and maintenance, adequate numbers of appropriately trained professionals, and systems for quality control and assurance for accurate and safe imaging. Recognizing that in many Latin American and Caribbean countries, the quality of mammography does not always meet recognized standards, PAHO convened this expert consultation with representatives from governments and professional associations to develop resource appropriate quality assurance processes and standards for mammography. The objectives included:
1. To analyze the situation and challenges in implementing quality mammography services in Latin America and the Caribbean.
2. To discuss and agree on plans to establish quality assurance standards and processes which are feasible and realistic to be implemented in Latin America and the Caribbean.
3. Based on the discussion, elaborate a manual on Mammography Services Quality assurance for Latin america and the Caribbean.
In October 2016 the manual was published and it can be downloaded, in both English and Spanish, in the links below:
English: http://iris.paho.org/xmlui/handle/123456789/31402
Spanish: http://iris.paho.org/xmlui/handle/123456789/31293