Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Intra- and inter-rater reliability of compressed breast thickness, applied force, and pressure distribution in screening mammography

Voigt, Martina LU ; Bolejko, Anetta LU and Dustler, Magnus LU (2021) In Acta Radiologica Open 10(12).
Abstract
Background
Ensuring equivalent and reproducible breast compression between mammographic screening rounds is important for the diagnostic performance of mammography, yet the extent to which screening mammography positioning and compression is reproducible for the individual woman is unknown.

Purpose
To investigate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of breast compression in screening mammography.

Materials and Methods
Eleven breast-healthy women participated in the study. Two experienced radiographers independently positioned and compressed the breasts of each participant in two projections—right craniocaudal and left mediolateral oblique—and at two time points. The spatial pressure distribution on the... (More)
Background
Ensuring equivalent and reproducible breast compression between mammographic screening rounds is important for the diagnostic performance of mammography, yet the extent to which screening mammography positioning and compression is reproducible for the individual woman is unknown.

Purpose
To investigate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of breast compression in screening mammography.

Materials and Methods
Eleven breast-healthy women participated in the study. Two experienced radiographers independently positioned and compressed the breasts of each participant in two projections—right craniocaudal and left mediolateral oblique—and at two time points. The spatial pressure distribution on the compressed breast was measured using a pressure sensor matrix. Applied force, compressed breast thickness, force in field of view, contact area, mean pressure, and center of mass (anterio-posterior and mediolateral axes) were measured. The reliabilities of the measures between the time points for each radiographer (intra-rater reliability) and between the radiographers (inter-rater reliability) were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results
Intra- and inter-rater reliabilities from both projections demonstrated good to excellent ICCs (≥0.82) for compressed breast thickness, contact area, and anterio-posterior center of mass. The other measures produced ICCs that varied from poor (≤0.42) to excellent (≥0.93) between time points and between radiographers.

Conclusion
Intra- and inter-rater reliability of breast compression was consistently high for compressed breast thickness, contact area, and anterio-posterior center of mass but low for mediolateral center of mass and applied force. Further research is needed to establish objective and clinically useful parameters for the standardization of breast compression. (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
in
Acta Radiologica Open
volume
10
issue
12
article number
20584601211062078
publisher
SAGE Publications
ISSN
2058-4601
DOI
10.1177/20584601211062078
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e662531a-7396-45fd-a50e-c3f086424ad9
date added to LUP
2023-08-04 12:14:26
date last changed
2023-08-04 14:33:30
@article{e662531a-7396-45fd-a50e-c3f086424ad9,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/>Ensuring equivalent and reproducible breast compression between mammographic screening rounds is important for the diagnostic performance of mammography, yet the extent to which screening mammography positioning and compression is reproducible for the individual woman is unknown.<br/><br/>Purpose<br/>To investigate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of breast compression in screening mammography.<br/><br/>Materials and Methods<br/>Eleven breast-healthy women participated in the study. Two experienced radiographers independently positioned and compressed the breasts of each participant in two projections—right craniocaudal and left mediolateral oblique—and at two time points. The spatial pressure distribution on the compressed breast was measured using a pressure sensor matrix. Applied force, compressed breast thickness, force in field of view, contact area, mean pressure, and center of mass (anterio-posterior and mediolateral axes) were measured. The reliabilities of the measures between the time points for each radiographer (intra-rater reliability) and between the radiographers (inter-rater reliability) were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).<br/><br/>Results<br/>Intra- and inter-rater reliabilities from both projections demonstrated good to excellent ICCs (≥0.82) for compressed breast thickness, contact area, and anterio-posterior center of mass. The other measures produced ICCs that varied from poor (≤0.42) to excellent (≥0.93) between time points and between radiographers.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Intra- and inter-rater reliability of breast compression was consistently high for compressed breast thickness, contact area, and anterio-posterior center of mass but low for mediolateral center of mass and applied force. Further research is needed to establish objective and clinically useful parameters for the standardization of breast compression.}},
  author       = {{Voigt, Martina and Bolejko, Anetta and Dustler, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{2058-4601}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Acta Radiologica Open}},
  title        = {{Intra- and inter-rater reliability of compressed breast thickness, applied force, and pressure distribution in screening mammography}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20584601211062078}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/20584601211062078}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}