Mammography Quality Assurance Pilot Program

On 1 July 2026, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) discontinued the Mammography Quality Assurance Program (MQAP).

MQAP operated successfully for several decades, with ACPSEM involved since its inception. The ACPSEM Mammography QA Position Paper formed the technical foundation of MQAP and continues to provide guidance on quality assurance practices in mammography. ACPSEM also trains and certifies the equipment assessors who perform mammography equipment testing, with accredited assessors listed on the ACPSEM Register.

The ACPSEM Medical Imaging Quality Assurance Working Group (MIQAWG) is now undertaking a pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of a quality assurance program for facilities operating mammography X-ray systems.

Who can participate?

The pilot program is open to:

• Mammography practices that were previously registered with MQAP
• Public and private mammography providers (non-screening services only)

What’s involved?

Participating sites will be asked to:

• Submit the most recent equipment assessor report for each mammography X-ray unit
• Collect and submit three months of quality control (QC) data using a spreadsheet provided by ACPSEM
• Complete a short questionnaire at the conclusion of the pilot to provide feedback on the program and its ongoing value
• Note: Clinical image review and ACR phantom submissions are not required

Benefits of participation

Participating sites will receive:

• Professional feedback on submitted QC data from a certified physicist assessor
• An opportunity to contribute to the development of a future mammography quality assurance program
• A certificate of participation in the MIQAC Mammography Quality Assurance Pilot Program

Scope of feedback

The pilot program is intended to provide feedback on submitted QA/QC data only. Participation in the program does not constitute a technical assessment, accreditation process, or consultancy service, and ACPSEM will not provide technical advice or recommendations regarding equipment performance, regulatory compliance, or clinical practice.

Cost

• The first 10 sites to enrol will participate free of charge for one mammography unit each.
• Subsequent enrolments will incur a fee of $110 (inc GST) per mammography unit.

Timeline

Data collection is expected to commence in early 2027, when participating sites will receive the QC spreadsheet and program instructions.

Register your interest

If you are interested in mammography quality assurance or would like to participate in the MIQAC Mammography Quality Assurance Pilot Program, please complete our very short survey (less than two minutes).