Evaluation of image quality in mammographic film with the extended process

This report deals with the image quality of film used in mammography in terms of changing the processing time of the film and reducing the radiation dose. We initially performed phantom experiments to investigate the extended process that could provide high image quality of the film. We then measured silver grain sizes using an optical microscope to investigate processing time, so that silver grains would not be coarse during the extended process. It was found that micro-calcifications could be clearly detected by the extended process by using a lower radiation dose and that the extended process did not affect coarsening of the silver grains.