A mammographic method and apparatus are provided for obtaining improved compression
of posterior, middle and anterior breast tissue without pushing posterior breast
tissue from the imaging volume and with less discomfiture to the patient. An initial
compression of the posterior tissue is achieved by vertical, relative displacement
of the paddle relative to the bucky assembly to compress the posterior breast tissue
therebetween. Less patient discomfiture is achieved by using an inclined compression
surface on the paddle or bucky assembly to compress the anterior and middle breast
sufficiently for good X-ray imaging without further displacement of the skin adjacent
the chest wall. A horizontal force component inclined force will not push the posterior
compressed breast tissue from the imaging area. Herein a paddle may have a posterior
breast section and have a flexed section which is biased to engage and conform
to the breast shape. The flexed section may be releasably held by a lock and then
released to apply compression forces to the middle and anterior breast. The flexed
section is guided to remain level and to uniformly compress breasts which are not
centered thereunder and without binding. The buckey assembly may have a hinged
inclined section to compress the middle and anterior portions of the breast. The
entire bucky assembly may be hinged to raise the image detector thereon and thereby
lessen the heel effect. Alternatively, the bucky cover may be hinged to swing upwardly
into an inclined position to compress the middle and anterior breast portions while
the image detector is not.