title: Breast compression in mammography: pressure distribution patterns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast compression is important in mammography in order to improve image quality, better separate tissue components, and reduce absorbed dose to the breast. In this study we use a method to measure and visualize the distribution of pressure over a compressed breast in mammography.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure and describe the pressure distribution over the breast as a result of applied breast compression in mammography.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and three women aged 40.7-74.3 years (median, 48.9 years) invited for mammographic screening consented to take part in this study. They were subjected to two additional breast compressions of the left breast (standard force and approximately 50% reduction). Pressure images of the compressed breast were obtained using force sensing resistor (FSR) sensors placed underneath the compression plate. Subjects rated their experience of pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four pressure patterns were identified, fitting 81 of the 103 breasts, which were grouped accordingly. The remaining 22 breasts were found to correspond to a combination of any two patterns. Two groups (43 breasts) showed pressure mainly over the juxtathoracic part of the breast, had significantly greater breast thickness (P = 0.003) and had a lower mean pressure over dense tissue (P < 0.0001) than those with more evenly distributed pressure. Reducing compression force increased average breast thickness by 1.8 mm (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distribution of pressure differed greatly between breasts. In a large proportion of breasts the compression plate did not provide optimal compression of the breast, the compression force being absorbed in juxtathoracic structures.
authors.affiliation: Medical Radiation Physics, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. Magnus.Dustler@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dustler
authors.forename: Ingvar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brorson
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fröjd
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattsson
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tingberg
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zackrisson
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Förnvik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011312:Pressure