Comparison of mammography sensitivity after reduction mammoplasty targeting the glandular and fat tissue

Mammography may have some limitations in the diagnosis and screening of breast cancer for women who have previously undergone breast reduction surgery. This study aimed to investigate how the structural defects in the breast tissue formed by postoperative changes are reflected on mammography.

The records of patients who had previously undergone breast reduction surgery and who were requested to undergo mammography for breast cancer screening by the general surgery clinic were retrospectively studied. The patients' ages, surgical procedures, postoperative follow-up periods, amount of removed material, and histopathological and mammographic results were studied. The patients were classified into 3 groups: those older than 40 years who underwent reduction mammoplasty targeting predominantly the glandular tissue (group 1), those younger than 40 years who underwent reduction mammoplasty targeting predominantly the fat tissue (group 2), and those older than 40 years who were diagnosed with breast hypertrophy and were not operated (group 3).

The mean follow-up period of the patients was 6 (2-10) years. The mean value of resected tissue was 1120 g (680-2070) in group 1 and 1220 g (720-1980) in group 2. The mean age at the time of surgery was 45 (40-70) years for group 1 and 35 (24-40) years for group 2. All patients in group 1 were classified in Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 1-2; 28 patients in group 2 were classified in BI-RADS 1-2, 4 were classified in BI-RADS 3, and 8 were classified in BI-RADS 0. In group 3, 35 patients were classified in BI-RADS 1-2, 4 were classified in BI-RADS 3, and 1 was classified in BI-RADS 0.

We believe that breast reduction surgery targeting predominantly the glandular tissue in patients older than 40 years increases mammographic sensitivity.