Configuring Mammography Settings

Use the following settings to configure how Synapse displays mammography images. Synapse also supports MG tomosynthesis series.

Path

Settings > Mammography

Steps

  1. Modify the following settings as needed.

  2. Optional: When you finish configuring all settings, click Close.

Image Display

Use the image display settings to adjust the scaling method of mammography images to improve image quality.

Setting

Description

Enable bicubic for upscaling

  • If selected, Synapse uses an alternate algorithm that makes images smoother and less pixelated when zooming images beyond their normal resolution.
  • This setting is cleared by default.

Enable bicubic for downscaling

  • If selected, Synapse uses an alternate algorithm that makes images smoother and less pixelated when minimizing images below their normal resolution.
  • This setting is cleared by default.
  • Note: MoirĂ© artifact might be increased when using bicubic for downscaling.

Zoom to breast bounds on initial display

  • If selected, Synapse automatically magnifies breast images when opening a study, so that the breast tissue of each image fills as much of each applicable viewport as possible.
  • Note: Synapse might not set an image to Zoom to Breast Bounds if the image compression is set to lossy.
  • This setting is selected by default.

Apply height alignment to breast pair

  • Automatically aligns the height and centering of breast pairs when opening a study.
  • Zoom to breast bounds on initial display must be selected to turn on the Apply height alignment to breast pair setting.
  • Enable Link Zoom/Pan must be selected for MG to turn on the Apply height alignment to breast pair setting. See Configuring Cross Reference Settings.
  • This setting is selected by default.

Implant suppression on initial display

If selected, Synapse applies breast implant suppression for 2D and tomosynthesis mammography studies by reducing the breast implant brightness on initial display.

Note:

  • Synapse maintains the last user-generated and autogenerated Snapshots of the breast implant suppression.
  • If you apply Reset Image State, Synapse maintains implant suppression for all viewports.
  • This setting is cleared by default.

Propagate implant suppression to all images

If selected, Synapse does the following:

  • Applies breast implant suppression by reducing the breast implant brightness in all 2D and tomosynthesis mammography studies.
  • Toggles the implant suppression for all the active viewports by clicking the Implant Suppression On/Off icon.

If turned off, you can toggle breast implant suppression for the active viewport by clicking the Implant Suppression On/Off icon.

Note:

  • Synapse applies the suppression of all implants for reading protocols.
  • If you apply Reset Image State, Synapse turns off implant suppression for all viewports.
  • This setting is cleared by default.

Enable Breast Tomo Scout

  • If selected, when viewing tomosynthesis images, this option displays a schematic of the breast within the viewport, showing approximate breast quadrants and the current slice level within the breast.
  • Click and drag to reposition the scout within the viewport.
  • This setting is selected by default.
  • See Breast Tomo Scout for more information.
  • Note:
    • This option is intended to assist with spatial orientation and is not an exact representation of the breast.
    • Under certain conditions the scout will not display, such as if the angle of the gantry does not match the expected angle for the view. For example, if the patient/client is positioned prone, supine, or decubitus.

Scout Color

  • This option allows you to customize the color of the breast scout to more easily distinguish it from breast tissue.
  • Click the box to display an RRGGBB color picker from which you can choose a color and click OK.
  • The default color is gray (#B0B0B0).

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MG Toolbar Settings

Use the MG toolbar settings to indicate if the toolbar should display, and to specify the placement of prior series for MG layouts.

Setting

Description

Show MG layouts toolbar (Supported in 2 monitor configurations)

  • If selected, Synapse displays the MG Layouts toolbar when you view MG studies. The MG Layouts toolbar allows single-click access to common mammography layouts and is designed for reading workstations with two diagnostic monitors. See MG Layouts Toolbar for more information.
  • This setting is selected by default.
  • Display images ventrally:
    • If selected, when selecting a layout from the MG Layouts toolbar, image orientation and position are reversed, so images are flipped horizontally and arranged left to right.
    • This setting is cleared by default.
  • Placement of prior series for one-click MG layouts: Select Left or Right to indicate where Synapse will place prior series (to the left or right of the current series).
  • Font/Icon Size: Select the font and icon size you want from the drop-down list.

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CAD/AI Display Settings

Use the CAD/AI settings to display AI findings at the end of the reading protocol to compare with your findings and reduce the number of commands required to review a study.

Setting

Description

CAD/AI Display

Show CAD/AI

  • If selected, Synapse automatically shows Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) markers when you open an MG study.
  • This setting is cleared by default.
  • If Show CAD/AI is selected, choose between the following options:
    • Always: If selected, Synapse shows CAD/AI markers when you open an MG study and throughout the reading protocol.
      • This is the default setting.
    • On last step only: If selected, Synapse automatically adds an extra step displaying CAD/AI findings to the end of reading protocols. Choose between the following options: 
      • Repeat first Reading Protocol step
        • Synapse displays CAD/AI findings on a reading protocol step that is identical to the first step of the selected reading protocol. This is convenient for users whose first step is an overview of the examination.
        • This is the default setting.
      • Insert Dynamic Layout
        • Synapse displays CAD/AI findings on a reading protocol step that honors the user's settings from User Settings > Reading Protocols > Dynamic Layout > MG > Comparison Arrangement.

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MG Series Settings

Use the MG Series settings to configure how Synapse displays mammography images. Synapse also supports MG tomosynthesis series.

Setting

Description

Scroll between tomos of the same view

If selected, when more than one tomosynthesis series exists for a given view, scrolling past the last slice of a series automatically progresses to the first slice of the next series.

This setting is cleared by default.

Group thumbnails for same-compression projections

If selected, this setting changes the thumbnail merging logic from view position to frame of reference. This means that Synapse merges all images taken in the same breast compression into one thumbnail. For example, 2D, synthetic, and tomosynthesis images generated from one breast compression are represented by a single thumbnail.

Repeats of the same view are represented by a separate thumbnail.

This setting is cleared by default.

Series Priority

This setting allows you to display your preferred series type first in a stack, so you can reduce the number of commands required to navigate a study. You can set the priority for:

  • Types of 2D images
  • Types of tomosynthesis series

MG All Priors Stack Selection

Selected Comparisons only

  • If selected, Synapse displays the selected and compared studies.
  • This setting is selected by default.

Include Prior studies up to nn Years from current study

  • If selected, in addition to the compared studies, Synapse displays studies within the years selected, allowing a total of 20 studies.
  • The default setting is 10.

Note:

  • Displaying priors beyond the selected comparisons is limited to Synapse VX.
  • This setting is only available in Administrator mode.

Compare Same Series

This setting allows you to stack the right-most viewport of the Compare Same Series View (ALT + G) with priors for more efficient reading.

  • Display up to 3 available priors:
    • Creates temporary reading protocol step that compares the same series name without stacking (for example, Current + P1 + P2 + P3).
    • This is the default setting.
    • Note: There is no age limit for priors. This means that more recent comparisons will be included, if available.
  • Stack remaining priors in last viewport up to nn Years
    • Creates temporary reading protocol step that compares the same series name and stacks the last viewport with remaining priors (for example, Current + P1 + P2 + P3-P10).
    • If applicable, select a different number from the drop-down list of 1 through 12.
    • The default setting is 10.
    • Note: This option excludes more recent comparisons and studies beyond the specified age. This might result in the display of fewer series relative to the Display up to 3 available priors setting above.

See Comparing the Same Series.

Note: Image loading delays might occur when retrieving older priors from long-term storage.

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Results

Synapse automatically saves any updated options and displays the following message in the bottom left corner of the window: Successfully saved.

Synapse displays the following message to alert you that an action must be taken for the settings to apply: Refresh the Synapse browser window for settings to apply.

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Mammography Settings Video

This video demonstrates mammography Settings in Synapse PACS 7.4.2.

For more information about this video tutorial, see Video Tutorials.

Related Topics

Configuring MG Near-Match Settings

Configuring Cine Settings

Using Cine

Image and Series Sorting