Mammography and breast sonography in transsexual women

Weyers, S.; Villeirs, G.; Vanherreweghe, E.; Verstraelen, H.; Monstrey, S.; Van den Broecke, R.; Gerris, J.

doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2009.03.018

« Previous Next »European Journal of Radiology
Volume 74, Issue 3 , Pages 508-513, June 2010

Mammography and breast sonography in transsexual women

S. Weyers
- Department of Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +32 9 332 5446; fax: +32 9 332 3831.
G. Villeirs
- Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.
E. Vanherreweghe
- Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.
H. Verstraelen
- Department of Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.
S. Monstrey
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.
R. Van den Broecke
- Department of Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.
J. Gerris
- Department of Gynecology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
- All other authors can be reached via their own department at the same address.

Received 10 January 2009; received in revised form 9 March 2009; accepted 12 March 2009.

Abstract

Data on the necessity of performing screening mammographies in transsexual women are lacking. The main objective of this study was to assess the possibility to perform mammography and breast sonography in transsexual women.

Fifty Dutch-speaking transsexual women were interviewed about the following: attitude towards mammography and breast sonography, importance attributed to and satisfaction with breast appearance, opinion about the necessity of breast check-up, expectations regarding discomfort during the exams and knowledge about the breast surgery. A fasting blood sample, clinical breast exam, mammography and breast sonography were performed. At mammography the following parameters were noted: density, technical quality, location of the prostheses, presence of any abnormalities and painfulness. At sonography the following parameters were recorded: density, presence of cysts, visualisation of retro-areolar ducts or any abnormalities.

Twenty-three percent of patients are not aware of the type of breast implants and 79% do not know their position to the pectoral muscles. Patient satisfaction with the appearance of their breasts was rather high (7.94 on a scale of 0–10). Mean expected and experienced pain from mammography was low (4.37 and 2.00 respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in expected pain between those who already had mammography and those who did not. There was a significant positive correlation between the expected and the experienced pain.

Mammography and breast sonography were technically feasible and no gross anomalies were detected. Since both exams were judged as nearly painless, 98% of transsexual women intended to come back if they would be invited. Since breast cancer risk in transsexual women is largely unknown and breast exams are very well accepted, breast screening habits in this population should not differ from those of biological women.

Keywords: Breast ultrasonography, Mammography, Transsexualism