Final answer:
A lesion that moves down on a lateral view relative to the nipple is detected in the inferior portion of the breast. This is determined using mammography, where the movement of lesions indicates their specific location within the breast tissue, with descending movement pointing to the lower, or inferior, quadrants.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a lesion moves down on a lateral view relative to the nipple, the lesion is on the inferior portion of the breast. Lateral mammography views help in localizing breast lesions by comparing their positions in relation to the nipple. Since the breasts are three-dimensional structures, a change in position of a lesion on different mammographic views assists in determining its precise anatomical location.
The breast is comprised of lobules, ducts, and fatty and fibrous tissues. Breast lesions can occur at different depths and quadrants within the breast tissue. When a patient undergoes a mammogram, the radiologist can determine the location of the lesion based on how it moves in relation to fixed landmarks, like the nipple, during different imaging views. Therefore, if a lesion descends on a lateral view in reference to the nipple, it suggests that the lesion is located in the lower part of the breast tissue—below the level of the nipple—known as the inferior quadrant.