Brant - Breast Imaging - Technical Considerations Flashcards
Anode materials in mammography
Molybdenum, Rhodium
Advantage of Molybdenum
Lower energy x-rays, greater contrast
Advantage of Rhodium
Increase contrast in dense breasts
Anode material in digital mammography
Tungsten
Rationales for compressing the breast (5)
- Spreads overlapping breast structures
- Immobilizes breast
- Brings the breast closer to the plate - Reduces geometric unsharpness
- Uniform thickness of breast
- Reduces radiation dose
Advantages of full-field digital mammography
Higher contrast, better dynamic range,
Possibility of image processing
Standard views for mammo
CC and MLO
A properly positioned MLO mammogram should show the ________ muscle down to the level of a line drawn perpendicular to the muscle through the ________.
pectoralis major, nipple
MLO: The ___________ should be visible to ensure that the inferior portion of the breast has been imaged
inframammary fold
CC view: optimal positioning can be assured when _______ is seen centrally on the film and the ______ is in profile.
pectoralis major muscle, nipple
The pectoralis muscle can be visualized in about ___ % of patients on the CC view
30%
CC view: An alternative method of assuring appropriate visualization of posterior tissues is to measure the distance from the nipple to the _______ through the central axis of the breast; this distance should be within ___ cm of the length of the posterior nipple line as seen on the MLO view
edge of the film, 1 cm
MLO: The ______ should be in profile so that the subareolar area can be adequately evaluated
nipple
What view for: localizing lesion in one view, demonstrate milk of calcium
90 degree lateral
What view for: Determine whether lesion is real or summation shadow
Spot compression
