Guidance

Breast screening: acquisition and testing of ultrasound scanners

Information on purchasing, installing, maintaining and the quality assurance of breast ultrasound scanners for the NHS breast screening programme.

• From: NHS England
• Published: 30 April 2011
• Last updated: 22 January 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Guidance notes for the acquisition and testing of ultrasound scanners for use in the NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP)

PDF, 3.07 MB, 81 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email england.contactus@nhs.net. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Use this document to make sure ultrasound scanning equipment meets the standards required for the NHS breast screening programme.

This document covers information on:

• clinical requirements
• equipment selection and supply
• quality assurance
• evidence based baseline testing
• evidence based acceptance testing
• evidence based physics testing

Published 30 April 2011

Last updated 22 January 2026 + show all updates

1. 22 January 2026

   • Updating the quality assurance management structure • specification for the frequency range of probes • changes to the in-air reverberation pattern test • quantitative values for spatial resolution limits and low contrast penetration limits • changes to the calliper accuracy tolerance • advice on the procurement of pre-owned ultrasound equipment • advice on speed of sound settings • advice on advanced imaging technologies

2. 29 July 2025

   Changed lead organisation from Public Health England to NHS England.

3. 30 April 2011

   First published.