Disclosed herein is a compression paddle comprising a paddle base 12; and a paddle wall 20 comprising a first side-wall 22; and a second side-wall 24; wherein the first side-wall 22 and/or the second side-wall 24 are disposed upon the paddle base 12 and inclined with respect to the paddle base 12 at an angle that is effective to permit an x-ray beam uninterrupted access to an object of interest located on an opposing side of the paddle base 12 from an x-ray source when an angle between a central axis of the x-ray beam and a vertical taken at an inner surface of the first side-wall 22 and/or the inner surface of the second side-wall 24 is about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees.