What is generally the consequence of excessive breast compression in mammography?

Excessive breast compression during a mammography procedure can lead to significant patient discomfort. The purpose of compression is to reduce breast thickness and minimize motion during the image acquisition process, which ultimately improves the quality of the mammogram. However, if the compression is too intense, it can cause pain and distress for the patient.

While compression is key to obtaining clearer images by reducing the amount of tissue overlapping and enhancing the visibility of lesions, there's a fine balance to be maintained. Over-compression does not guarantee better images but can result in discomfort, potentially leading to a negative experience for the patient.

The other choices focus on potential outcomes that could arise from breast compression but do not accurately reflect the primary consequence of excessive compression. It's critical to find the appropriate level of compression to ensure the comfort of the patient while still producing high-quality diagnostic images.