What are the benefits of breast compression during screening or diagnostic mammography...?

Question

Everyone knows that it's painful or at least terribly uncomfortable for ladies, but what are the specific benefits of compression radiography of the breast?

Answer 1

Mammograms Are Always Painful: Yes, But -

A breast is a three-dimensional part of your body, and a sensitive one at that. A screening mammogram takes a two-dimensional x-ray of your breast. In order for the x-rays to effectively make the image, your breast tissue must be compressed and must be quite still. You can do three things to lessen the pain of a mammogram: use lidocaine gel in advance of your appointment to numb the breast, schedule your appointment about one week after your period starts, cut down on caffeine for two weeks prior to your mammogram, and request a comfort pad (if your clinic has these) to cushion your breast during the imaging process. Patients who participated in a study of the BioLucent MammoPad said that it reduced their breast pain by nearly half of what it would be without a pad or pain medication.

Answer 2

To be able to see any growths, benign or otherwise on the x-ray they have to compress as much as possible or else they will not get a good x-ray. For most people it is only a slight discomfort...

Answer 3

The benefit of identifying a syndrome/growth should outweigh the momentary discomfort that they experience. I wouldn't know for sure though.

Answer 4

If the breast is flattened, even the smallest growths will be visible.

Answer 5

The controlling biology is tissue density.