1. The hospital radiologic facilities of breast screening sites selected by Region Hospital Corporations shall be approved for breast screening by the New Brunswick Department of Health and Community Services.
  2. Administration of the services shall be the responsibility of the Region Hospital Corporation.
  3. The hours of operation should be flexible and convenient to encourage participation by the target population (see item 2).
  4. Provisions should be made for privacy and comfort of women attending screening.
  5. Screening facilities should be accessible within one hour's travel time for those driving.

9. EQUIPMENT
  1. New Brunswick Radiation Safety Standards23-24, Canadian Standards Association and federal legislative requirements21 shall be met.
  2. Mammograms shall be performed only on dedicated mammographic x-ray equipment17-19,21.
  3. There shall be an adequate device for compressing the breast24 and a grid shall be available17,19,21.
    1. The compression force applied to the breast shall range between 20-40 pounds25.
  4. A quality assurance program shall be in place that examines the equipment, film processing, and ensures adequate image quality5,10,17,19,21,23-25 (see item 12).
  5. The target material, focal spot size and filtration shall be appropriate for the characteristics of the image receptor17,21.
  6. There shall be a processor that is designed and engineered to appropriately process mammographic film.17,19.
  7. Cassette screens should be replaced annually and shall be replaced at least every two years.