 |
Research |
Overview
In Germany breast cancer is, like in many other industrial nations, the most frequent cancer-disease of women (55.000 new diagnoses per year). For that reason, in June 2002, the German government decided the implementation of a nationwide quality-assured Mammography Screening Program, according to the European Guidelines (EPQC 4th edition).
Every woman in the age group between 50 and 69 years receives a personal invitation for a quality assured mammography examination in one of the approximate 90 screening-units. The program comprises about 10 million females and has a recall rate of two years.
The reference centers are taking a key role in the German screening-program. Under the administration of the cooperation-union of mammography, the tasks of these reference centers are to supervise and to manage the entire screening-project.
About us
The Reference Center for Mammography in Münster (RCM) was the first of five nationwide spread centers. Under the management of Prof. Dr. Walter Heindel we started our work in 2005. The RCM will supervise 23 screening-units in the region of Nordrhein-Westfalen with a catchment area of 2.2 million women. The main focus of the RCM is digital mammography and its impact in the program.
Task statement
- Advanced training and education of the screening-staff
- Quality assurance (QA) of the screening mammograms from the medical point of view.
- Technical QA of all mammography-units in the screening-program (at the moment 115 units). That includes a daily, monthly and annual control of all necessary system parameters that have an influence on the image quality, according to the European Guidelines. These controls are assisted by an internet supported QA-program.
- Management and coordination of the associated reference screening-unit.
- Public relations
- Scientific evaluation of the screening-program with a focus on the region of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Research priorities
The mean scientific task of the RCM is the evaluation of the digital mammography technique.
Research topics:
- Capabilities of patient dose reduction of the full field digital mammography (FFDM) compared to conventional film systems.
- Trials and analyses of new examination techniques with FFDM (e.g. contrast enhanced subtraction mammography).
Research team
- Prof. Dr. med Walter Heindel
- Dr. med. Stefanie Weigel
- Dipl.-Ing. Horst Lenzen
- Dipl.-Phys. Ralf Girnus
- Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Sommer
- Dipl.-Ing. Rainer Esseling
- Brigitte Hurtienne
- Jörg Czwoydzinski, M.Sc.
Technology resources
The RCM has two mammography-units. The reference screening-unit as well as the assessment-unit are both equipped with an advanced digital detector system.
Available equipment:
- Digital breast scan mammography system (Sectra MicroDosis Mammography)
- Digital full field mammography system (Lorad Selenia FFDM)
- Micro-Focus X-Ray for Breast Specimen
- High Resolution Ultrasound System with 13 MHz (Siemens Medical Solutions)
- Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy (Mammotome)
- 7 mammography workstations (Sectra and Lorad)
- Mammography PACS
Research partners
- Dr. Decker, Prof. Böcker: Reference Center for Mamma Screening Pathology
- Dr. Joke Tio: Dept. of Gynaecological Surgery, University Hospital Muenster
- Prof. Mats Daniellson, Stockholm, Sweden
http://www.mi.physics.kth.se - Prof. Per Skaane, Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
http://www.ulleval.no
Support of students
In the context of research projects the RCM gives students the opportunity to write there dissertations, diploma- and master-thesis as well as internships.