1
2
3
4
5
100

One of every eight women will develop this disease.

→ breast cancer

100

Approximate incidence of breast cancer by location within the breast is highest in this quadrant.

→ upper lateral quadrant of the breast

100

This is required in mammography to visualize tiny microcalcifications.

→ small focal spots

100

If a malignancy is present, it appears as a distortion of normal ductal and connective tissue patterns. Approximately [blank] of breast cancer is ductal.

→ 80%

100

This tool increases patient dose by double. Contrast can be improved further by reducing scatter with...

→ grids 

this does not apply to virtual grids which are replacing radiographic grids in mammography.

200

Procedure: radiographic examination of the breast

What is mammography?

200

This technique factor must be kept low to maximize the photoelectric effect and thereby enhance differential absorption and improve image contrast.

→ kVp

As kVp is reduced, however, the penetrability of the x-ray beam is reduced, which in turn requires an increase in mAs.

200

This focal spot shape is preferred in mammography, although the other common shape is often used.

→ circular (preferred) + rectangular (common)

200

No filter element can absorb its own [blank].

→ anode target–characteristic radiation

200

The breast tissue most sensitive to cancer induction by radiation is [blank].

→ glandular tissue

300

More than 90% of patients are cured and survive because of [blank].

→ early mammographic diagnosis

300

This factor limits spatial resolution in digital mammography.

→ pixel size

PENGUIN: Spatial resolution in digital mammography is limited by pixel size.

300

Normal breasts consist of three principal tissues:

→ fibrous, glandular, and adipose (fat)

300

These two window materials are used in dedicated mammography x‑ray tubes to avoid absorbing low‑energy photons.

→ beryllium (Z = 4) window or a very thin borosilicate glass window.

300

These tiny calcium deposits are often the earliest sign of ductal carcinoma.

→ microcalcifications

400

The three major types of mammography.

→ screening, diagnostic, and baseline mammography

400

This is the reason digital mammography has superior contrast resolution.

→ postprocessing

PENGUIN: Digital mammography has superior contrast resolution because of postprocessing 

400

At low x-ray energy, [blank] predominates over Compton scattering. 

→ photoelectric absorption

400

The degree of absorption is determined by these factors.

→ the tissue mass density and the effective atomic number

X-ray absorption caused by differences in mass density is simply proportional to the mass density for both photoelectric effect and Compton scattering.

400

Prevents grid lines from being visible on the image.

→ high frequency and a moving grid (motion blurs out grid lines) 

500

Performed on patients with symptoms or elevated risk factors.

→ DIAGNOSTIC mammography

500

This major study proved that contrast resolution is more important than spatial resolution for diagnostic efficacy in mammography. 

→ DMIST

PENGUIN: DMIST showed without question that contrast resolution is more important than spatial resolution for diagnostic efficacy.

500

These filters must be used with a tungsten target in mammography to remove high‑energy bremsstrahlung photons.

→ molybdenum or rhodium filters

500

This grid type designed specifically for mammography involves copper strips, air interspace, 3.8:1 ratio, reduces scatter in two directions. Designed to maximize contrast while keeping dose reasonable.

→ High‑Transmission Cellular (HTC) Grid

500

Principal responsibility is to conduct an annual performance evaluation of the imaging system.

→ the medical physicist's

600

The first radiographic examination of the breasts and is usually obtained before age 40 years. Radiologists use it for comparison with future mammograms.

→ a BASELINE mammogram

600

These are the three target materials used in mammographic x‑ray tubes.

→ molybdenum (Mo), rhodium (Rh), and more rarely tungsten (W).

600

This is why mammography uses a filter made of the same element as the x‑ray tube target.

→ to transmit K‑characteristic x‑rays while suppressing unwanted bremsstrahlung x-rays.

600

Magnification mammography should not be used routinely because of these reasons.

→ Standard mammograms are sufficient for most patients.

Magnification doubles patient dose because: No grid is used. Increased OID increases scatter. System compensates with higher mAs. 

→ Magnification is reserved for diagnostic evaluation

600

This component of the mammography system automatically selects exposure based on breast thickness and composition.

→ AEC (automatic exposure control) device.

700

Performed on asymptomatic women with the use of a two-view protocol, usually medial lateral oblique and cranial caudad, to detect an unsuspected cancer. 

→ SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY

700

These characteristic x‑rays are useless in mammography because their 12‑keV energy cannot penetrate the breast.

→ tungsten L‑shell x‑rays

700

This technique improves spatial resolution, contrast resolution, and reduces patient dose in mammography.

→ compression

- improves spatial resolution, contrast resolution, and reduces patient dose. reduces focal spot blur.

- uniform thickness of tissue. 

700

Principal responsibility is supervision of the entire QA program.

→ the Radiologist's

700

Younger breasts are more difficult to image because of [blank]. 

→ dense, glandular tissue

800

These are the risk factors for developing breast cancer.

800

The three members of the mammography quality control team.

→ Mammographer, Medical Physicist, Radiologist

800

This mammography target material produces characteristic x‑rays around 17–19 keV, ideal for imaging fatty breasts.

→ molybdenum

800

This is the minimum total filtration required for mammography systems.

→ 0.5 mm aluminum equivalent.

800

Unlike most other modalities that has this device in front of the IR, this mammography component is placed behind the image receptor to minimize OID.

→ the AEC device.