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Table 1 Criteria to assess mammography examinations grouped by type (positioning, artefacts, sharpness, parameters) in craniocaudal, mediolateral oblique and mediolateral mammograms

From: Consensus about image quality assessment criteria of breast implants mammography using Delphi method with radiographers and radiologists

Criteria

References

Type

1

2

3

4

Breast centrally placed

[13, 43,44,45]

Positioning (13)

    

Presence of pectoral muscle (PM)

[11, 13, 45]

    

Pectoral muscle visualised down to the level of PNL

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

Visualisation of retroglandular adipose tissue

[11, 13, 45]

    

Medial border of the breast included on the image

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

Axillary tail demonstrated

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

Superior breast edge included

[13]

    

Inferior breast edge included

[45]

    

Full visualisation of inferior breast tissue

[45]

    

Inframammary angle clearly demonstrated

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

Nipple in profile or transected by skin

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

Nipple in the midline (+/− 10°)

[11, 45]

    

Symmetrical mirror images R/L images

[11, 13, 45, 46]

    

No skin folds

[13, 45, 46]

Artefacts (3)

    

No artefacts

[45, 46]

    

Skin edges visualised

[13]

    

Spread of breast tissue to differentiate adipose from fibroglandular tissue

[43, 44]

Sharpness/compression (4)

    

Sharpness of glandular tissue

[13, 45, 46]

    

Sharpness of vascular structures

[13, 44]

    

Visually sharp reproduction of skin structure (rosettes from pores)

[13]

    

Good penetration of thicker areas without over penetration of thin areas

[45, 46]

Parameters (2)

    

Appropriate contrast

[44,45,46]

    
  1. 1, need to have; 2, nice to have; 3, not pertinent/appropriate; 4, I do not know