Why can't I have my radiologist/gynaecologist perform the examination any more?

By law, x-ray examinations may only be performed if a concrete illness is suspected. An exception was made for the mammography screening Program (Source: X-Ray Regulation).

This series of x-ray screenings for breast cancer is offered every two years to women between 50 and 69 years of age, who do not show signs of breast cancer. Women in this age group have the highest risk of developing and dying from breast cancer.

Mammography Screening is the only breast cancer screening method scientifically recognised to be effective. The actual advantage of this early recognition breast cancer screening is having regular examinations through a quality assured program with specially trained physicians who continuously evaluate the results. In Germany this is provided by the Mammography Screening Program.

 

Mammography Screening is the only breast cancer screening method scientifically recognised to be effective. The actual advantage of this early recognition breast cancer screening is having regular examinations through a quality assured program with specially trained physicians who continuously evaluate the results. In Germany this is provided by the Mammography Screening Program.

Mammography as an early recognition breast cancer screening for women between 50 and 69 years of age may therefore only be offered and evaluated by trained physicians in the Screening Program.

The Mammography Screening Program is subjected to strict quality control. This applies to the entire staff involved in the screening, all of which have to undergo special training.

To prove they are qualified, evaluating physicians must evaluate at least 5,000 mammograms per year and regularly attend training and pass annual exams. In addition, each mammogram is evaluated independently and separately by at least two physicians.

The clinics within the Mammography Screening Program, called screening clinics, hold a special license which must be renewed every 30 months. The equipment is also subject to the strictest quality assurance. We can only assure that examinations based on the highest quality standards will be carried out in these screening clinics.

All examination data will be anonymised, analysed annually and published in annual reports. No other early detection breast cancer screening offers this. Only the Mammography Screening Program will, amongst other things, demonstrate the stage at which breast cancer is detected, how many women are asked to return to a follow-up examination to investigate abnormal findings and in how many women the breast cancer suspicion is confirmed.