Mammography artifact

A. Sias;BALESTRIERI, ANTONELLA;POLITI, CAROLA

2007-01-01

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Abstract

The patient, a 45 year old woman, underwent routine bi-annual mammography. Imaging Findings The patient underwent a routine mammographic examination. In the cranio-caudal projection, several ring like structures are seen bilaterally projecting over the breasts, mainly in the outer regions, and they appear in larger number on the left side. No such images were seen on the oblique views, thus posing the suspicion of an artifact. Clinical examination of the patient, and interrogation of the radiographer who perfomed the examination, allowed to find out the cause of this artifact. The patient's curly hair, quite long and somehow difficult to control, had fallen between the x-ray tube and the film holder, thus causing the artifact.