What is a common effect of insufficient compression during a mammogram?

Insufficient compression during a mammogram primarily leads to decreased image resolution. When compression is inadequate, the breast tissue may not be evenly spread, resulting in areas of overlapping tissue. This overlap can obscure critical details of abnormalities or lesions, making it difficult to discern pathologies clearly.

Compression serves multiple purposes in mammography, such as minimizing motion blur and reducing the thickness of the breast tissue, which improves the quality of the images produced. Without adequate compression, the image may lack clarity, leading to challenges in interpreting the results accurately.

While the other options may seem plausible in different contexts, they do not accurately reflect the outcome of insufficient compression. For instance, increased exposure time and enhanced contrast are not direct consequences of inadequate compression, and better visualization of structures would typically be the result of proper compression rather than insufficient.