Discomfort and pain during mammography

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Mammography is the most important method for early detection of breast cancer, however, patients frequently complain of discomfort and pain. OBJECTIVE. Evaluate how often discomfort and pain are felt during mammography and identify factors that may be associated to these complaints. METHODS. A prospective study including 2,164 patients recruited from public (996) and private (1,168) health services was carried out. After the imaging procedure, patients quantified pain using a linear analogical scale. Discomfort was qualitatively evaluated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS. Discomfort was reported by 90% of the patients, and of these 12% rated the sensation as intense or intolerable. Only 2% of the women in the study group did not feel any pain during the procedure. Factors associated to pain were: age, use of birth control methods (BCM), previous mastalgia and patients from the private health sector. Discomfort was independently associated to the service where the procedure was performed (OR = 2.50 IC 1.64-5.17) and to previous mastalgia (OR = 3.15 IC 1.96-7.12). When asked about a repeat mammography, 98% of the patients said they would comply. CONCLUSION. Young women (< 50 years), BCM users, mastalgia patients and women who were using the services of a private clinic felt more intense pain and discomfort during mammography.