Enhanced-image mammography.

A blurred-mass subtraction technique has been developed for mammography, which enhances small-object contrast and visibility throughout the breast area. The procedure is easy to implement and requires no additional exposure. Perception of low-contrast objects is improved by eliminating extreme light- and dark-image areas. Contrast of structures within certain portions of the breast is increased by compression into the high-contrast portion of the film characteristic curve. Detail visibility is also increased by the edge enhancement produced by this process. This paper describes the enhancement process and gives an analysis of its capabilities and limitations.