Does elevating image receptor increase breast receptor footprint and improve pressure balance?

Smith, H; Szczepura, K; Mercer, CE; Maxwell, A; Hogg, P

Abstract

There is no consensus in the literature regarding the image receptor (IR) position for the cradio-caudal
projection in mammography. Some literature indicates the IR should be positioned to the infra mammary
fold (IMF); other literature suggests the IR be raised 2 cm relative to the IMF. Using 16 female volunteers
(32 breasts) and a pressure sensitive mat we investigated breast footprint and pressure balance with IR at
IMF and IR 2 cm above the IMF. Breast area on IR and paddle and interface pressure between IR/breast and
paddle/breast were recorded. A uniformity index (UI) gave a measure of pressure balance between IR/
breast and paddle/breast. IR breast footprint increases significantly by 13.81 cm2 (p < 0.02) when IR is
raised by 2 cm. UI reduces from 0.4 to 0.00 (p ¼ 0.04) when positioned at IMF þ2 cm demonstrating an
improved pressure balance. Practitioners should consider raising the IR by 2 cm relative to the IMF in
clinical practice. Further work is suggested to investigate the effects of practitioner variability and breast
asymmetry.

Citation

Smith, H., Szczepura, K., Mercer, C., Maxwell, A., & Hogg, P. (2015). Does elevating image receptor increase breast receptor footprint and improve pressure balance?. Radiography, 21(4), 359-363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2015.02.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 3, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Mar 24, 2015
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Apr 2, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Journal: Radiography
• Print ISSN: 1078-8174
• Electronic ISSN: 1532-2831
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 359-363
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2015.02.001
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2015.02.001
• Related Public URLs: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1078817415000097