The influence of HRT on technical recall in the UK Breast Screening Programme: are pain, compression force, and compressed breast thickness contributing factors?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate recall for technical reasons within the UK Breast Screening Programme, and to determine whether differences exist in those women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), considering potential associations with reported pain, compression force used and compressed breast thickness (CBT) obtained.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study of 2765 women attending for incident round breast screening appointments who were either HRT users, with a minimum of 1 year duration (n=1077), or had never used HRT (n=1688). Data were collected using technical recall records, a radiographer data-collection sheet, and a self-administered participant questionnaire.


RESULTS
Sixty-eight (2.5%) participants were recalled for technical reasons of whom 28 (2.6%) were HRT and 40 (2.4%) non-HRT users. This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.80). Significant differences were found for CBT between those HRT users who were and were not recalled for technical reasons (p<0.01) and for the similar categories of non-HRT users (p=0.03). No significant differences were found for force between those HRT users who were recalled or not (p=0.73) and for the similar categories of non-HRT users (p=0.07). Similarly no significant differences were found for pain between those HRT users who were recalled or not (p=0.75) and for the similar categories of non-HRT users (p=0.73).


CONCLUSIONS
CBT was the only variable to have both a statistically and a clinically significant relationship with technical recall.
Nimmo
L J
LJ
Division of Radiography, School of Health and Social Care, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. l.nimmo@gcal.ac.uk <l.nimmo@gcal.ac.uk>
Alston
L A C
LA
McFadyen
A K
AK
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D006113:United Kingdom