Film viewing conditions in mammography

A requirement for a minimum viewing box brightness of 3000 cd m(-2) for reading mammograms has been widely advocated. Some recent work has challenged that opinion by reporting no significant variation in visibility of low contrast and fine detail objects over a wide range of brightness levels. This paper provides further experimental evidence to support the latter conclusion, at least over the range 1340-4190 cd m(-2), and suggests that the currently recommended minimum viewing box brightness levels need to be revised. The importance of reducing room lighting levels is fully confirmed.