Artefacts in contrast enhanced digital mammography: how can they affect diagnostic image quality and confuse clinical diagnosis?

• Published in: Insights into imaging Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 16
• Main Authors: Nori, Jacopo, Gill, Maninderpal Kaur, Vignoli, Chiara, Bicchierai, Giulia, De Benedetto, Diego, Di Naro, Federica, Vanzi, Ermanno, Boeri, Cecilia, Miele, Vittorio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 07.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Artefacts; Breast cancer; Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM); Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM); Diagnostic Radiology; Diagnostic software; Diagnostic systems; Digital imaging; Educational Review; Image contrast; Image enhancement; Image quality; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Mammography; Medical diagnosis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neuroradiology; Radiology; Troubleshooting; Ultrasound; Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM); Artefacts; Artifacts; Breast cancer; Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM)
• ISSN: 1869-4101; 1869-4101
• DOI: 10.1186/s13244-019-0811-x

Contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) is a diagnostic tool for breast cancer detection. Artefacts are observed in about 10% of CEDM examinations. Understanding CEDM artefacts is important to prevent diagnostic misinterpretation. In this article, we have described the artefacts that we have commonly encountered in clinical practice; we hope to ease the recognition and help troubleshoot solutions to prevent or minimise them.