Why was a contalateral mammogram performed?
The mammogram on the right breast is a baseline study for the right breast. Once a patient has developed a breast carcinoma she has a higher chance to develop another lesion.
Do you think the history is relevant or dependable?
The history may be accurate but has nothing to do with the diagnosis. Sometimes a bump or an incident of minor trauma may draw attention to an underlying, already-existing breast condition. Hence the common misconception that minor breast trauma can "cause " a breast carcinoma. It cannot. It merely draws attention to the organ although its difficult to understand how the patient could not have noticed the pathology in this case.
Why was the original MLO view of the left breast so badly exposed ?
Limited compression due to swelling and discomfort on compression with the paddle.
Significant findings in the left breast include calcifications of DCIS throughout the left breast, a spiculated mass lateral superiorly and diffuse skin thickening throughout with nipple retraction.