Mammography Positioning Improvement Collaborative Materials

Nancy Fredericks

Modified on: Mon, 14 Apr, 2025 at 9:40 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background
Project Planning
Collaborative Measure
Current State Analysis
Key Drivers
Intervention Resources

Background

Suboptimal mammography positioning is the primary factor leading to technically inadequate mammograms. Poor mammogram quality contributes to undetected breast cancer. In a single-institution study, only 67% of images met the positioning criteria set forth by the American College of Radiology® (ACR®). (Pal et al., AJR 2018).

Overview

The ACR Mammography Positioning Improvement Collaborative: A Multicenter Improvement Program Within a Learning Network Framework (Pittman et al., JACR 2024)

RSNA 2023 Presentation - ACR Learning Network Mammography Positioning Improvement Collaborative: Facilitating Local Performance Improvement through Shared Learning

Project Management Template

Mammography Positioning Project Charter, A3, and Sustain Plan

Project Planning

Project Title	Improving Mammography Positioning at {Organization}
Global Aim	To improve breast cancer detection through screening.
Problem Statement	Mammography positioning is variable and inconsistent possibly leading to missed diagnosis of cancer.
Potential Team Members	Radiologist with a breast imaging clinical focus Mammography supervisor or manager Mammography technologist

Collaborative Measure

Measure Specification Documents	Percentage of screening mammograms comprised of four standard views meeting identified mammography positioning criteria.
Guidelines Table	Mammography Positioning Review Guidelines
SMART Goal	Improve mammography positioning from an average baseline % to goal % by DATE.
Exam Scoring and Control Chart Template	Excel: LN Mammography Exam Review and Control Chart Template
Data Submission	HUB: Mammography Positioning: Data Collection and Control Chart in the Learning Network Hub

Current State Analysis

Use these Mammography Positioning Current State Analysis Questions to plan your Gemba walk. Observations should be recorded on a cause-and-effect or fishbone diagram and root causes prioritized in a pareto chart.

Mammography Positioning Current State Analysis Questions

Key Drivers

The following are common key drivers seen over multiple cohorts. Each project will select Key Drivers, that may or may not be on this list, related to the root causes identified during the Current State Analysis.