Quadrants are four equally divided 90-degree planes on the breast, divided at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00. They are often used in searching for masses that are near 3:00 and 9:00. Masses that lie at 3:00 and 9:00 may be higher or lower than expected. Therefore, it may be more effective to scan an entire quadrant. Masses visible at 12:00 or 6:00 in craniocaudal (CC) views can be located by scanning a much smaller area. This is because there is little to no rotation of the breast or obliquity of the x-ray beam on the CC view.