Fat Grafting for Augmentation Does Not Interfere with Mammograms
January 16, 2020 - Rhys Branman, MD
Successful breast augmentations have been done using a patients’ own fat through a process called fat grafting, as we’ve previously reported on the blog. Now a new study gives some reassurance of the safety of fat transfer for breast augmentation by concluding that the procedure doesn’t interfere with mammograms.
“Radiographic follow-up of breasts treated with fat grafting is not problematic and should not be a hindrance to the procedure,” concludes the study, led by Dr. Michaël Veber, of University of Lyon-Léon Bérard Cancer Center, France.
The fat grafting procedure is done by taking small amounts of fat from one part of the woman’s body, such as the hips or thighs via liposuction, and transferring it to the breasts.
To determine whether fat transfer for breast augmentation — which the authors call lipomodeling — caused any problems with mammogram screenings for breast cancer, the researchers reviewed mammograms performed 16 months, on average, after lipomodeling in 31 women. In over half the cases, the mammograms showed no abnormalities.
Some women’s mammograms showed small calcifications or cysts as aftereffects of the fat transfer procedure, and a few women had other abnormalities related to scarring from their breast surgery. However, the authors concluded none of these changes were considered likely to raise suspicions of breast cancer on routine mammograms.
The researchers also evaluated mammograms performed before and after fat transfer in 20 women. They found there were no significant differences in the mammographic results from before to after the procedure, and there was no increase in abnormal results that would cause suspicion of breast cancer.
Overall breast density remained stable over time, and most importantly, “radiographic follow-up was not more difficult after lipomodeling,” according to the study.
The authors suggest that women undergoing lipomodeling have a complete evaluation — including mammograms — before and after the procedure.
