What is the impact of improper angulation when imaging tall, thin patients?

Improper angulation when imaging tall, thin patients can lead to a loss of critical tissue detail for several reasons. When the x-ray beam is not angled correctly, certain areas of the breast may not be adequately imaged, resulting in portions of the breast tissue being obscured or not visualized at all. This can occur if the beam is angled too steeply or not steep enough, which may cause some tissue to overlap or fail to be properly captured within the imaging field.

In mammography, proper angulation is crucial to ensure that all breast tissues, including critical areas like the tail of Spence and retroareolar tissue, are included in the image. If these areas are missed due to improper angling, it can ultimately impact the diagnostic quality of the images, leading to missed lesions or abnormalities.

Therefore, proper angling is essential for achieving optimal imaging of all breast tissue, enhancing the likelihood of accurately detecting any abnormal findings.