What do CC and MLO stand for in mammography?

• A. Craniocaudal view and Medioloateral Oblique view
• B. Cranial-Caudal and Medial-Lateral Oblique
• C. Craniolateral and Medial-Dorsal Oblique
• D. Caudocranial and Medial-Lateral Oblique

Answer: (A)

In mammography, CC and MLO refer to two standard projection views that describe how the breast is imaged and where the X-ray beam travels.

Craniocaudal view means the beam moves from the cranial (top) toward the caudal (bottom) of the body. The breast is compressed from top to bottom, producing a view that is especially good for examining central and nipple-area tissue and for detecting calcifications.

Mediolateral oblique view is an angled projection that images from the medial (inner) to the lateral (outer) aspect of the breast. This oblique angle helps visualize the upper outer quadrant, the axillary tail, and the edge of the pectoral muscle, improving detection of abnormalities that might be hidden on a straight-on view.

Other phrasings try to substitute terms or reverse directions (like cranial-caudal, caudocranial, craniolateral, or medial-dorsal oblique), but the standard and widely accepted terms are craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique.