Breast ultrasound which is frequently used to evaluate questionable areas such as suspected cysts seen at screening mammogram. Both are used to make a small area of breast tissue easier to evaluate. Magnification views provide a clearer assessment of the borders and the tissue structures of a suspicious area or a mass. Magnification views are often used to evaluate micro-calcifications, tiny specks of calcium in the breast that may indicate a small cancer. Spot compression is also known as compression mammogram, spot view, cone views, or focal compression views.
All mammograms involve compression of the breast.
Spot views apply the compression to a smaller area of tissue using a small compression plate or cone. By applying compression to only a specific area of the breast, the effective pressure is increased on that spot. This results in better tissue separation and allows better visualization of the small area in question. Spot compression views show the borders of an abnormality or questionable area better than the standard mammography views. Some areas that look unusual on the standard mammography images are often shown to be normal tissue on the spot views.