Mammography de-identification is the removal of patient identifiers from the file. UK GDPR Art. 9 and the DPA 2018 govern health data. anonym.plus runs it on your device. The BI-RADS finding stays, but the text names no one.
When this applies
A screening case fits an audit dataset. The finding can stay, yet the name, the dates, and the patient ID have to be hidden first.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file (PDF, image, or scan) on your machine.
- Local OCR reads any text printed on the view.
- The tool flags names, dates, and the ID band.
- Review each flag and keep the BI-RADS category.
- Swap each ID for a token, or box it out.
- Save the clean copy. The source stays on disk.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, JPEG, PNG, or image scan).
- An operator: Replace (swap), Redact (remove), or Mask (partial).
- Optional: a name map for recall tracking.
Patient data entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Claire Whitfield → [PATIENT_1] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Screened 02/06/2026 → [DATE] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 620114 → [MRN] |
| Identifiers | ID | Accession M-3318 → [ACCESSION] |
| Age | AGE | Age 52 → [AGE] |
| Site | ORGANIZATION | Royal Marsden, London → [SITE] |
Compliance achieved
- Anonymisation under UK GDPR Art. 9 & DPA 2018.
- Once truly anonymous, the file leaves UK GDPR scope under Recital 26.
- Assessed against the ICO motivated-intruder test.
- Working files are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
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Limitations & cautions
The corner ID band can hold a name on each view. OCR catches most of it. Verify every view before release, since a missed band undoes the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Will the BI-RADS score be kept?
Yes. The category is a clinical value, not a patient ID. It stays in place so the finding remains useful for an audit.
Does each view get its own check?
Yes. Every view is read on its own. You confirm the corner band on each one, so no single view leaks a name.
Can I link prior and current rounds?
Yes. A name map gives one patient the same token across rounds. Recall tracking works with no real name shown.