The Mammography program at College of DuPage is a one-semester, seven-credit post-radiography advanced certificate program. The program has limited enrollment and is offered once a year during the fall semester, with a summer application deadline. In order to be considered for admission to this program, students must be graduates of an accredited Radiography program.
Mammography classes are held at the College of DuPage campus in Glen Ellyn on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. Clinical rotations are 16 hours per week; these hours can be scheduled with your assigned clinical site. Upon successful completion, students receive an Advanced Certificate in Mammography from the College and are eligible to take the national certification exam in Mammography administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
The program curriculum incorporates the standards established by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and the guidelines set forth by the ARRT. The curriculum includes the initial Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) training and education requirement.
Applicants who are graduates of an accredited Radiography program and hold or will hold ARRT certification in Radiography and a current Illinois Emergency Management Association (IEMA) Medical Radiography license by the application deadline are eligible to apply for admission.
To be considered for admission into the program, you will need to follow specific admission requirements outlined in the Mammography Admission Packet.
Determine Your Path
Mammographers are highly-trained professionals who work with sophisticated low-dose X-ray equipment to produce both screening and diagnostic images of the breast. Professional duties include performing breast imaging procedures, recording a patient’s clinical history, preparing patients for procedures, operating mammography imaging equipment, evaluating breast images for diagnostic and technical quality and assisting with interventional procedures and quality control tests.
Whether you are preparing for a career in mammography, planning to transfer to a four-year college or university or switching career paths, COD offers:
- Dedicated instructors with years of practical industry experience, certification, and licensing.
- Practical, hands-on experience as well as classroom-based studies.
- Instruction in top-notch facilities and on cutting-edge equipment.
- Affordable tuition that get you on the fast track to success without breaking the bank.
- Clinical affiliations with health care clinics around the area.
The Mammography Advanced Certificate program is designed to meet or exceed the requirements established by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) and those set by the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).
Upon successful completion, students receive an Advanced Certificate in Mammography from the college and are eligible to take the national certification exam administered by the ARRT.
Get Started Today
Get started in the Mammography program by reading the admissions packet. The packet contains an admissions checklist that you will need to follow in order to be eligible for admission.
Academic and Career Pathways give you a roadmap to achieving your career goals. Follow a pathway based on your degree that outlines which classes you need to take and when so you graduate on time or move on to the next phase in your career.
Diagnostic Medical Imaging Radiography – Mammography Program graduates will:
- Demonstrate patient care skills.
- Practice universal precautions and radiation safety.
- Understand the American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for screening mammography, patient dosage, and the possibility for additional projections and/or other breast imaging procedures with the patient.
- Document patient clinical history relevant to the performance and interpretation of the mammography exam.
- Perform screening and/or diagnostic mammograms on both full field digital and digital breast tomosynthesis (3D) mammography equipment.
- Perform mammograms by positioning the patient and equipment according to department protocol or requisition.
- Select equipment appropriate to the patient and the examination to be performed.
- Select and record exposure factors based upon breast tissue density, patient's age, numerical compression scale and equipment characteristics.
- Evaluate images for diagnostic quality.
- Perform quality assurance tests required by the ACR for all digital mammography equipment.
- Observe, assist with or participate in specialty exams (augmented breasts/interventional/special procedures)
- Review mammography exams with a radiologist.
- Identify and label the anatomical structures of the breast.
- Compare breast anatomical structures to mammographic anatomical structures.
- Identify and label breast anatomical structures on a mammographic image
- Describe breast augmentation and identify the types of breast implants, the common implant locations, and the anatomical changes to the augmented breast.
- Describe the anomalies of development that can occur in the breast.
- Recognize clinical breast changes.
- List the physical changes of the breast related to pathology.
- List the mammographic changes of the breast related to pathology and identify the common mammographic appearance of breast pathology.
- Define treatment options for breast cancer.
According to the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, (ARRT), all candidates must demonstrate core clinical procedures to establish eligibility for ARRT certification. Candidates are required to perform procedures, document performance, maintain records and apply for certification.
The following requirements are the minimum core clinical procedures necessary to establish eligibility for ARRT Mammography certification:
- Sixteen (16) hours of structured education related to the content specifications of the ARRT mammography exam.
- A minimum of one (1) hour in each of the following:
Patient Care including Patient Interaction and Management, Image Production including Image Acquisition and Quality Assurance, Procedures including: Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Mammographic Positioning, Special Needs and Imaging procedures. - 75 mammograms – screening and/or diagnostic
- Quality control procedures
- Selected special procedures including interventional and special examinations
- Mammographic review and critique with radiologist
Initial Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) requirements:
- Forty (40) hours of training/education specific to mammography under the supervision of a qualified instructor
- 25 screening mammograms under direct supervision of an ARRT registered Mammographer or Radiologist
AART requirements must be completed within 24 months immediately before applying for certification.
Candidates must use the Mammography Clinical Experience Documentation Form online to record the performance of each procedure and must keep this form for at least 24 months after the application for certification is submitted.
Additionally, candidates must complete the verification section of the ARRT application, attesting to completion of the requirements. The ARRT conducts audits of some applications for certification. NOTE: Submitting false documentation to the ARRT as part of the application process is a violation of the ARRT Standards of Ethics and may result in revocation of eligibility for certification in all categories, including those already held.
To meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Mammography Quality Standards students must:
- Obtain state licensure.
- Obtain certification in General Radiology.
- Complete requirements in no longer than two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your frequently asked questions regarding the Mammography program.
Mammographers are educated in physics, radiation safety, breast anatomy and pathology, and patient care. Duties include the performance of breast imaging procedures, corroboration of a patient's clinical history, patient preparation for procedures, operation of breast imaging equipment and associated devices, evaluation of breast images for technical quality, and assistance with interventional procedures and specific quality control tests.
Excluding cancer of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women, accounting for one in three cancers diagnosed in women each year. Most doctors feel that early detection tests for breast cancer save many thousands of lives each year.
Members of this profession mainly work in hospitals, outpatient care centers, and FDA/ACR-accredited diagnostic imaging centers under the supervision of board-certified radiologists. Most full-time mammographers work about 40 hours per week. They may, however, have evening and weekend hours. Opportunities for part-time and shift work also are available.
Yes, in addition to enrolling at College of DuPage, a student must also complete a separate admissions process for this program. Applicants must be ARRT registered technologists in good standing and hold IEMA licensure.
For details about this process, see the Mammography Admission Packet.
Yes, the COD Mammography program is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) and Higher Learning Commission. In addition, the program policies and procedures have been designed to meet or exceed those established by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) and those set by the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). Upon successful completion, students receive an Advanced Certificate in Mammography from the college and are eligible to take the national certification exam administered by the ARRT.