Breast compression and reported pain during mammographic screening

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering
• Public Health

Background:

• Mammography is a crucial tool for breast cancer screening.
• Patient comfort during mammography is essential for adherence to screening programs.
• Understanding factors influencing pain during mammography can improve patient experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between breast compression parameters and experienced pain during mammographic screening.
• To identify factors contributing to pain during mammography.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire assessed pain experienced by 1155 women using a numeric rating scale (NRS).
• Data on compression force (N), pressure (kPa), and breast characteristics were extracted from DICOM headers and breast density software.
• Log-binomial regression was employed to analyze the relative risk of severe pain associated with compression parameters, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

• The mean pain score was 2.2, with 6% reporting severe pain (NRS ≥7).
• High BMI (≥27.3 kg/m²) was linked to increased severe pain (RR 1.86).
• Low compression pressure (4.0-10.2 kPa) showed a higher risk of severe pain (RR 2.93), while increasing compression force slightly decreased severe pain risk (RR 0.98).

Conclusions:

• Most women experience low pain levels during mammography.
• Factors such as BMI and compression pressure significantly impact pain perception.
• Personalized approaches considering individual factors are necessary to optimize patient comfort during mammographic screening.