MG Stacking

Introduction

MG stacks reading protocols to reduce the number of reading protocol steps and display a mixed set of images from different mammography series in one viewport.

MG stacking groups images in two ways:

By grouping priors in one viewport
By grouping images based on laterality, view codes, and modifiers in one viewport

Synapse changes text overlay information when the study match is an MG Stack:

The study icon changes to show the study being viewed.
The acquisition time text overlay displays when you scroll through a study.

Synapse bases the MG stack on the following properties:

Image laterality
View code sequence
Presence or absence of modifier images
Presence or absence of implant-displaced (ID) images

Note:

Toggling displays the TOMO series that corresponds to the currently displayed FFDM or synthetic image, when there are multiple TOMO series to choose from. This is determined by Frame of Reference. If that is not present, it will default to the same view code.
When you toggle from TOMO back to FFDM, the stack displays the first FFDM series that matches the TOMO Frame Of Reference (FOR) rather than the last displayed FFDM series.

MG Factory Reading Protocols

Synapse includes factory MG stacking reading protocols. MG stack reading protocols created in Synapse 4.4 can be used in any Synapse version.

Typically, procedure codes are site specific and are not included in factory default protocols. Factory MG stack protocols do not include procedure codes, which allows matching to any procedure code.

MG Stacking Configuration

In order to use the MG stacking reading protocols, you must configure the MG stacking options in the User Settings for the Viewer. See Configuring MG Stack.

Note:

Stack-based reading protocols are only available for MG studies. When you open an MG study in the Reading Protocol Editor, Synapse automatically stacks MG studies. See Configuring MG Stack.

Drag and Drop

Synapse displays All Images when you drag and drop a MG stack from the Viewer to the Series Viewer.

Series Picker

The Series Picker displays the MG series thumbnail images and does not include thumbnail representations from the MG Stack protocols.

MG Stack Matching

Synapse bases reading protocol matching for MG Stack protocols on laterality, view code sequence, view modifier sequence, modality, and procedure of each study where any procedure option is supported.

The reading protocol priority for MG stacking is dependent on the Make Stack protocols higher priority than same-series protocols option in User Settings. When you select the Make Stack protocols higher priority than same-series protocols option, the following is the reading protocol priority:

MG Stack
Near-match MG stack
Exact series
Near-match series
Procedure and modality
Modality
Any study

When you do NOT select the Make Stack protocols higher priority than same-series protocols option, the following is the reading protocol priority:

Exact series
Near-match series
MG Stack
Near-match MG stack
Procedure and modality
Modality
Any study

Extra Series

Synapse processes series or stacks in a mammography study as an extra series based on the following conditions:

Any series that does not have image laterality and view code. Digitized documents processed as images, for example, are available but do not affect reading protocol matching.
Any stack that is configured in the study images and used for matching but is not displayed.
Any stack based on near match display that does not specify the stack.

All Images and Bookmarks series do not affect extras handling. A stack that is considered an extra series based on the rules listed above and this stack does not affect the Bookmarks or All Images series.