mammography

Question 1

What is mammography

Answer 1

a type of specialised medical imaging that uses low dose systems to see inside the breast
Aids the detection and diagnosis of breast disease

Question 2

symptomatic breast imaging

Answer 2

2 views mammogram
triple assessment
mammogram confirms malignancies irrespective of age

Question 3

Screening breast imaging

Answer 3

2 views mammogram, double read
50-70 years old
information on risks & benefits
interpreted by readers who satisfy the professional standard of the NHSBSP

Question 4

features of digital mammogram unit

Answer 4

angled tube head
c-arm design
fixed FFD
compression device
fixed field size
grids
AECs

Question 5

low kV technique

Answer 5

breast tissue has a low subject contrast and so a low kvp range increases subject contrast
better visualisation of breast tissues

Question 6

target material in the tube

Answer 6

lower kvp range means a different target material is used
this produces more photons in desired kvp range
molybdenum/rhodium produce characteristic radiation
lower kvp range = the emission spectra contains low energy x-rays which is suited to breast visualisation

Question 7

digital imaging

Answer 7

solid state detectors that convert x-rays into electrical signals
these electrical signals are used to produce images of the breast
images can be manipulated in ways that improve resolution and contrast
digital mammogram requires extremely high res computer screens