Patient anxiety before and immediately after imaging-guided breast biopsy procedures: impact of radiologist-patient communication

The aim of this study was to evaluate patient anxiety and its association with perceived radiologist-patient communication in the setting of imaging-guided breast biopsy.

After informed consent was obtained, 138 women recommended for imaging-guided breast procedures completed questionnaires immediately before and after biopsies, measuring state anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (range, 20-80). Before biopsies, women also completed questionnaires regarding their perceived communication with the radiologists recommending the procedures (modified Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction), demographic characteristics, and medical history; immediately after the biopsies, they completed a measure of perceived communication with the radiologists performing the biopsies. Experience levels (eg, attending radiologist, fellow) of the radiologists recommending and performing the biopsies were recorded. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses.

Average prebiopsy anxiety was 44.5 ± 12.4 (range, 20-77) on a scale ranging from 20 to 80 points. Perceived communication with radiologists recommending biopsies averaged 52.4 ± 11.5 (range, 18-65). Better communication with radiologists recommending biopsies was significantly associated with lower levels of prebiopsy anxiety (r = -0.22, P = .01). After the biopsies, women's anxiety significantly decreased (paired t = -7.32, P < .001). Better communication with radiologists performing biopsies (mean, 57.8 ± 8.4; range, 32-65) was associated with lower postbiopsy anxiety after accounting for patients' baseline anxiety levels (β = -0.17, P = .04). White women reported higher prebiopsy and postbiopsy anxiety; nonwhite women reported poorer communication with recommending radiologists.

Patients' perceptions of better communication with radiologists were associated with lower levels of anxiety before and after biopsies. These results have implications for radiologist training and adherence to mammographic screening.