The College of Radiology (CoR) Academy of Medicine of Malaysia organised a 1-day workshop for a refresher course as well as update those involved in the provision of mammography services. The workshop was sponsored by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and supported by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The CoR has been collaborating with the LPPKN and MOH to ensure smooth implementation of the LPPKN Subsidised Mammogram Programme where a government subsidy of RM50 would be given to eligible women recommended for a mammogram. The launch of the subsidy programme would be in conjunction with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s Mothers’ Day celebration on 13 May 2007 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The workshop on mammography attracted overwhelming response with more than 160 participants, of which a third were radiographers involved in the provision of mammography service. Participants came from all over Malaysia, including Sarawak. The morning session consisted of lectures for all participants and in the afternoon, there were breakout practical sessions for the radiographers.

Topics covered included the Mammography Technique, Quality Assurance Programme, How to perform a mammography service audit, Mammographic Evaluation of Masses, Mammographic Evaluation of Calcifications, Problem Solving in Mammography (Extra views and innovative positioning), Artefacts in Mammography, Recent Advances in Breast Imaging, Accreditation, The Normal Mammogram and variations, Mammographic Ultrasound Correlation, Breast Cancer Screening and Its Special Requirements, Reporting Format for Mammograms and Ductography. The radiographers’ concurrent sessions were on Film Viewing and Mammogram Audit for Radiographers.

The Faculty were Puan Hj Salmah Ahmad and Puan Ravi Chanthriga (Radiographers); Prof Ng Kwan Hoong, PhD (Medical Physicist); Prof Dr Humairah Samad Cheung, Prof A. Zulfiqar, Dr Yun Sii Ing and Dr Evelyn Ho (Radiologists). Dr Siti Fathimah Abbas was the organising chairperson of the workshop with the College of Radiology.