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.
• Access to learning using 2D and 3D mammography machines typically only available at hospitals and clinical settings. 
• Clinical affiliations with health care clinics around the area.

Mammography

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.

• Clinical Requirements Packet - Learn more about health requirements you may need to complete prior to registration or after program admission.
• Social Security Number (SSN) Requirements - While the College may not require an SSN for admission to all healthcare programs, students should be aware that the absence of an SSN may limit or prevent their ability to participate in certain clinical experiences, obtain required licensure or certification or secure employment upon graduation. Many healthcare employers, clinical education sites, licensing agencies and credentialing organizations require a valid SSN for employment, criminal background checks, payroll processing and/or professional licensure or certification. Students are strongly encouraged to verify SSN requirements with the applicable licensing board, certifying agency and prospective employers before enrolling in a healthcare program.

The primary goal of the Mammography program is to educate students with didactic, laboratory and clinical experiences in preparation for a health career as a Mammographer.

The graduate will demonstrate competency to meet certification requirements, deliver compassionate patient care in the use of ionizing radiation and imaging techniques and function as an integral member of the health care team with competence and confidence.

The Mammography programmer seeks to:

1. Educate competent, efficient and effective Mammographers capable of functioning in any environment, within one semester
2. Provide a complete, up-to-date, competency-based curriculum
3. Educate the student to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and to themselves
4. Prepare the student to think and act independently
5. Prepare the student to achieve a satisfactory result on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) credentialing examination for Mammography. College of DuPage and/or its faculty and staff do not guarantee successful candidate performance on the ARRT certification exam as a condition of successful program completion
6. Provide accurate student advisement to aid in student retention, course completion, program completion and possible future job placement

To participate in the clinical education portion of the Mammography program, the student must possess additional non-academic skills. These technical standards are consistent with the duties of the entry-level Mammographer in a professional position. The applicant should have the ability to:

• Move, adjust and position patients for mammography exams
• Move, adjust and manipulate equipment to perform mammographic procedures
• Possess visual acuity to review and evaluate images to determine image quality
• Communicate clearly, both orally and in writing, with patients, doctors and other personnel, and have the ability to follow written and verbal directions

Students must complete all health requirements prior to any clinical component. The Mammography program requires one clinical component, DMIR 2400. Many clinical sites are located within District 502; however, some sites are located outside the district.

• AdventHealth, Bolingbrook
• AdventHealth Cancer Institute, Hinsdale
• Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove
• Bright Light Medical Imaging, Western and Northwest Suburbs
• Prime Health Mercy Medical Center, Aurora
• Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center, Hoffman Estates
• Duly Health and Care, Lisle
• Edward Hospital, Naperville
• Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare, Elmhurst
• Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon
• Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood
• Midwest Center for Advanced Imaging, Montgomery
• Northwestern Medicine – Central DuPage Hospital (CDH), Winfield
• Prime Health Saint Joseph Medical Center, Joliet
• Prime Health Saint Mary, Kankakee
• Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey
• Northwestern Medicine, Lake Forest
• Rush Oak Park, Breast Imaging Center
• West Suburban Medical Center, River Forest

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

ARRT 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.

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.

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 Application 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.

The following websites contain additional information on mammography and mammography certifications:

• The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
• The American Society of Radiologic Technologists
• Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic Technology
• The Illinois State Society of Radiologic Technologists
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration