An estimated 36.7 million x-ray mammography procedures were performed in the United States in 2008, in 8,670 hospital and non-hospital sites, according to a report just released by IMV Medical Information Division.

"This represents a slight 2% decline from 37.3 million procedures in 2007, which is consistent with trends observed by the CDC," said Lorna Young, Senior Director, Market Research. "Compared to 2000, the 36.7 million procedures conducted in 2008 represents a decline of 16% from an estimated 43.9 million procedures in 2000, or about a 2% decline per year. This may be partially influenced by a 13% reduction in the number of MQSA certified sites in the United States from 9,910 sites as of May 2000 to 8,670 sites as of December 2007."

IMV's newest 2008 study of mammography center monitors trends in the products and services used by mammography centers. Mammography centers have emerged in a variety of settings to improve access for breast care patients. In addition to the traditional hospital radiology department, both hospital and non- hospital-based centers have developed a women's breast center approach, to market and offer a continuum of services addressing breast cancer. Breast care centers appear to have both higher volumes of procedures and higher productivity than the other mammography locations. They have more FTEs, as well as more productivity in terms of procedures per FTE. Dedicated breast care centers located in hospitals had a high average of 2,120 procedures per FTE technologist, as did non-hospital breast centers, with an average of 1,900
procedures per technologist. Standalone and hospital-based breast centers also had more mammography units installed than other locations (2.5 compared to the overall average of 1.4), and performed more mammography procedures per unit.

The report describes the variety of mammography center settings, their current use and plans for adopting breast imaging technology, including full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and computed radiography (CR), and profiles other services offered at these locations. Highlights include:
-As of this 2008 study, 38% of the installed mammography units have digital capability (including FFDM and CR) and 62% are film-screen units.
-Overall, 36% of the sites indicate that the typical lead time to schedule a diagnostic mammography appointment is less than a day, 57% from one day to one week, and 7% from one week to one month. The proportion of sites with a lead time of less than one day has increased from 21% in 2005 to the current 36%.

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