Motion and Mammography: Hold Still You Don’t Want To Miss This!

You know what motion does to your photographs… details are blurred, faces aren’t clear – you have to shoot the picture again!  

Capturing images for diagnosis is much the same –  motion can ruin an image making it necessary to repeat it. When imaging the breasts, our focus is on small details, so motion here can make a critical difference.  

A little blur can obscure something important. In a recent mammographic example we came across, motion on the initial image obscured microcalcifications. When the image was repeated, the microcalcifications were clearly seen, prompting diagnostic imaging with magnification views and an ultimate recommendation for biopsy (remember tiny microcalcifications may be a sign of early breast cancer!).  

This example shows one of the reasons your mammography technologist may need to repeat one or more images. Having crystal sharp images of your breasts without motion is key to helping us help you to your best possible health.

Image Credit: A’s Sombero by Ali West via Flickr Copyright Creative CommonsAttribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Originally published 5/5/14 on mammographykc.com.