Blood flow reduction in breast tissue due to mammographic compression.
OBJECTIVE
This study measures hemodynamic properties such as blood flow and hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation in the healthy human breast under a wide range of compressive loads. Because many breast-imaging technologies derive contrast from the deformed breast, these load-dependent vascular responses affect contrast agent-enhanced and hemoglobin-based breast imaging.


METHODS
Diffuse optical and diffuse correlation spectroscopies were used to measure the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, lipid, water, and microvascular blood flow during axial breast compression in the parallel-plate transmission geometry.


RESULTS
Significant reductions (P < .01) in total hemoglobin concentration (∼30%), blood oxygenation (∼20%), and blood flow (∼87%) were observed under applied pressures (forces) of up to 30 kPa (120 N) in 15 subjects. Lipid and water concentrations changed <10%.


CONCLUSIONS
Imaging protocols based on injected contrast agents should account for variation in tissue blood flow due to mammographic compression. Similarly, imaging techniques that depend on endogenous blood contrasts will be affected by breast compression during imaging.
Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104. Electronic address: drbusch@sdf.org.
David R
DR
Busch
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.
Regine
R
Choe
ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain.
Turgut
T
Durduran
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Daniel H
DH
Friedman
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Wesley B
WB
Baker
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Andrew D
AD
Maidment
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Mark A
MA
Rosen
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Mitchell D
MD
Schnall
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Arjun G
AG
Yodh
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001834:Body Water / Q000378:metabolism; D001940:Breast / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods*; D010455:Peptides; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D011312:Pressure; D011506:Proteins; D012016:Reference Values; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology
D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; C513529:WeiJia; D010100:Oxygen
Mammographic compression; blood flow; breast cancer; breast imaging; diffuse optics