What are the standard views for mammography?

• A. Craniocaudal view and mediolateral oblique view
• B. Anteroposterior and lateral views
• C. Oblique and frontal views
• D. Inferior-superior and anterior-posterior views

Answer: (A)

In screening mammography, the two standard views are the craniocaudal view and the mediolateral oblique view. The craniocaudal view compresses the breast from top to bottom, producing a compact image with minimized magnification and overlap of tissue, which helps evaluate the central and inner portions of the breast. The mediolateral oblique view is angled to include the axillary tail and the upper outer quadrant, capturing tissue that the straight view can miss and also showing the chest wall and pectoral muscle edge for orientation. Using these two projections together reduces tissue overlap and provides complementary perspectives, making it easier to detect abnormalities that could be hidden in a single view. Other options either describe views not routinely used in mammography or mix terminology, such as plain chest radiograph terms or non-specific oblique/frontal labels, which do not reflect the standard mammography protocol.