Sophia Zackrisson
Research group manager, Principal investigator, Professor, MD
Distribution of pressure on the breast in mammography using flexible and rigid compression plates : implications on patient handling
Author
Summary, in English
Background: Breast compression in mammography is important but is a source of discomfort and has been linked to screening non-attendance. Reducing compression has little effect on breast thickness, and likely little effect on image quality, due to force being absorbed in the stiff juxta thoracic area instead of in the central breast. Purpose: To investigate whether a flexible compression plate can redistribute force to the central breast and whether this affects perceived pain. Material and Methods: Twenty-eight women recalled from mammography screening were compressed with flexible and rigid plates while retaining force and positioning, 15 in the craniocaudal (CC) view and 13 in the mediolateral oblique (MLO) view. Pressure distribution was continuously measured using pressure sensors. Results: The flexible plate showed greater mean breast pressure in both views: 2.8 versus 2.3 kPa for CC (confidence interval [CI] = 0.2–0.8) and 1.0 versus 0.5 kPa for MLO (CI = 0.2–0.6). The percentage of applied force distributed to the breast was significantly higher with the flexible plate, both on CC (36% vs. 22%, CI = 1–11) and MLO (30% vs. 14%, CI = 4–13). Conclusion: The flexible plate redistributes pressure to the central breast, achieving a better compression, particularly in the MLO view, though much applied force is still applied to the juxta thoracic region.
Department/s
- LUCC: Lund University Cancer Centre
- Radiology Diagnostics, Malmö
- Medical Radiation Physics, Malmö
- EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health
Publishing year
2021
Language
English
Pages
1583-1591
Publication/Series
Acta Radiologica
Volume
62
Issue
12
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Topic
- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging
Keywords
- breast
- breast compression
- Mammography
- pain
Status
Published
Research group
- Radiology Diagnostics, Malmö
- Medical Radiation Physics, Malmö
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0284-1851