Compression primarily achieves which outcome to reduce radiation exposure during a mammogram?

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Compression lowers the dose mainly by making the breast thinner. When the breast is flattened, the X-ray beam has to pass through less tissue, so fewer photons are needed to produce a diagnostic image and scatter is reduced. This allows adequate image quality with a lower exposure. Compression doesn’t increase tissue density; density is about tissue composition, not thickness, and a thicker breast would require more radiation. By improving contact with the detector and reducing motion, compression also helps achieve a clearer image at a lower dose.