Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Distribution of pressure on the breast in mammography using flexible and rigid compression plates : implications on patient handling

Dustler, Magnus LU orcid ; Förnvik, Daniel LU orcid ; Timberg, Pontus LU ; Zackrisson, Sophia LU and Muller, Serge (2021) In Acta Radiologica 62(12). p.1583-1591
Abstract

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... (More)

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.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
breast, breast compression, Mammography, pain
in
Acta Radiologica
volume
62
issue
12
pages
1583 - 1591
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097274186
  • pmid:33280392
ISSN
0284-1851
DOI
10.1177/0284185120976925
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
17ebe3e7-b3f8-4798-a644-8e1d124739e4
date added to LUP
2020-12-15 13:48:20
date last changed
2025-05-16 03:08:16
@article{17ebe3e7-b3f8-4798-a644-8e1d124739e4,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dustler, Magnus and Förnvik, Daniel and Timberg, Pontus and Zackrisson, Sophia and Muller, Serge}},
  issn         = {{0284-1851}},
  keywords     = {{breast; breast compression; Mammography; pain}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1583--1591}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Acta Radiologica}},
  title        = {{Distribution of pressure on the breast in mammography using flexible and rigid compression plates : implications on patient handling}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0284185120976925}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0284185120976925}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}