Mammography calibration facility
|
Some of the diagnostic tests and treatments for our nation's top killers,
heart disease and cancer, rely on accurate radiation calibrations for the
maximum benefit to patients. NIST has long provided radiation standards and
calibrations to medical physicists nationwide. And as technologies advance and
new tests and treatments emerge, NIST works with manufacturers and regulators
to assure that patients receive safe and effective radiation doses.
For example, NIST is helping clinics meet requirements of the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 through its new mammography calibration facility. NIST established the facility to calibrate X-ray detectors in order to help eliminate the need to repeat mammograms because of incorrect exposures. |
| Tiny radioactive seeds are a new medical advance that may benefit potential heart attack and prostate cancer patients. Radiation from these seeds could prevent arteries from reclosing when inserted into arteries following angioplasty. Seeds inserted into a tumor can be an effective treatment for some prostate cancers. As these new medical treatments emerge, manufacturers are turning to NIST for accurate measurements of radiation from these tiny seeds. | 
Balloon angioplasty |
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Online: June 1999