Table 1 Criteria to assess mammography examinations to be used by radiographers before sending the examination to radiologists for CC, craniocaudal; MLO, mediolateral oblique; and ML, mediolateral images

Breast centrally placed

[4, 5, 13, 14]

X

X

X

Positioning (13)

Presence of pectoral muscle (PM)

[8, 13, 14]

X

Pectoral muscle visualised down to the level of PNL

[6, 8, 13,14,15]

X

X

Visualisation of retroglandular adipose tissue

[8, 13, 14]

X

X

X

Medial border of the breast included on the image

[6, 8, 13, 14]

X

Axillary tail demonstrated

[6, 8, 13,14,15]

X

Superior breast edge included

[13]

X

X

Inferior breast edge included

[14]

X

X

Full visualisation of inferior breast tissue

[14]

X

X

Inframammary angle clearly demonstrated

[6, 8, 13,14,15,16]

X

X

Nipple in profile or transected by skin

[6, 8, 13, 14, 16]

X

X

X

Nipple in the midline (+/− 10°)

[8, 14, 16]

X

Symmetrical mirror images R/L images

[6, 8, 13,14,15]

X

X

X

No skin folds

[6, 13,14,15]

X

X

X

Artefacts (3)

No artefacts

[6, 14, 15]

X

X

X

Skin edges visualised

[13]

X

X

X

Spread of breast tissue to differentiate adipose from fibroglandular tissue

[4, 5] [16]

X

X

X

Sharpness (4)

Sharpness of glandular tissue

[6, 13, 14, 16]

X

X

X

Sharpness of vascular structures

[5, 13, 16]

X

X

X

Visually sharp reproduction of skin structure (rosettes from pores)

[13]

X

X

X

Good penetration of thicker areas without over penetration of thin areas

[6, 14, 16]

X

X

X

Parameters (2)

Appropriate contrast

[5, 6, 14, 16]

X

X

X