Breast anatomy

It is instructive to analyze the key elements of the physics of X-ray image acquisition in mammography through a simple model of a breast containing a structure of interest (Fig. 1.1). This structure could be a tumor, a microcalcification, or some normal aspect of the breast anatomy. 

Montagna, W., and MacPherson, E.E. (1974). Some neglected aspects of the anatomy of human breasts. J. Invest. Dermatol. 63, 10-16. 

FIGURE 28.1 Schematic diagram showing the anatomy of the human breast. 

Figure 28.1 is a schematic drawing depicting the anatomy of a healthy breast. 

Anatomy. Refers to the anatomy being imaged. This can be the head (brain, skull, teeth, nasal cavities), the thorax (heart, breast, ribs), the abdomen (kidney, liver, intestines), the pelvis and the perineum, or the limbs (femur, tibia, humerus, hand). 

Fig. 2.4a-c. Axial 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence (a) in a patient with a malignant lesion in the left breast (arrow). The subtraction of the post- from pre-contrast scan can be used to detect the lesion with better conspicuity (b), and the application of an MIP algorithm (c) can give a 3D overview of the lesion, the nearhy anatomy and the overall vasculature of both breasts... 

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