Figure 1.
XZ plane and YZ plane intersected the body surface at each landmarks of body surface to form the red lines. The landmark points for measuring were identified by the intersections of red lines. The horizontal red lines indicate the level of the sternal notch, the upper margin of nipple base, the nipple, the lower margin of nipple base and the inframammary fold. The vertical lines indicate the anterior midline and the middle line of the nipple. Point A = SN (sternal notch), A’ = the superior margin of the nipple base, AA’ = SN-N, B’ = the medial margin of the nipple base, BB’ = N-MD (midline), C’ = the inferior margin of the nipple base, C = the lowest point of the inframammary fold, CC’ = N-IMF (inframammary fold), D = the intersection of the midline and the level of the inframammary fold, AD = SN-LIMF (level of inframammary fold).
Figure 2.
The measurements of straight-line distance and its projection on surface.
Point C’ is the lowest point of the nipple base and point C is the lowest point of the inframammary fold. The black line between point C and C’ stands for the straight-line distance of N-IMF. And the blue line between point C and C’ stands for the projection of N-IMF on surface.
Figure 3.
The breast projection and volumetric measurement.
This figure shows the horizontal section of the breast in the top view. The gray part is the virtual chest wall simulated by computer to stand for the chest wall. Point N = the medial base of the nipple, N’ = the lateral base of the nipple, NP = the vertical distance from point N to the virtual chest wall and N’P’ = the vertical distance from point N’ to the chest wall. The mean value of NP and N’P’ was calculated as the projection of the breast. The space between the skin surface and the virtual chest wall was measured as the absolute volume of breast.
Figure 4.
The red area is the surface area for measurement. The border of the area is marked from 1(IMF) and from lateral offshoot of the breast fold along the front axillary fold and lateral offshoot of the pectoral muscle up to 1 cm below the clavicle. The upper demarcation is 1 cm below and parallel to the clavicle.
Figure 5.
The mean values of linear-distances and the breast projection over 12 months.
SN = sternal notch, N = nipple, IMF = inframmary fold, MD = midline, LIMF = level of inframammary fold. The statistical differences at every time point were compared with post-12M in all measurements. ** is p<0.01, * is p<0.05, ns is no significant difference. Post-6M vs. post-12M of N-IMF, N-MD and SN-LIMF distance: p>0.05. Post-1M vs. post-12M of SN-N distance: p>0.05.
Table 1.
Linear-Distance Measurement of Breast.
Table 2.
Breast Projection and the Projective Distance of SN-N on Axes.
Figure 6.
Postoperative nipple shifting.
In figures, N = the preoperative nipple position, N’ = the nipple position 12 months after surgery. The left figure is a front view showing the superior and lateral shifting of nipple postoperatively. The right figure is a lateral view showing the superior and anterior shifting postoperatively.
Figure 7.
Breast volume and volumetric distribution.
A horizontal plane (XZ plane) was placed through nipple level to divide the breast into upper and lower poles. The volumes of each pole and the volumetric distribution were calculated at each time point in percentage. The volumetric percentages of lower pole increased over time while the opposite for the upper pole. The percentage of upper and lower pole at each time point was compared with post-12M. ** is p<0.01, * is p<0.05, ns is no significant difference. Post-6M vs. post-12M of lower pole breast volume: p>0.05. Post-1M vs. post-12M of upper pole breast volume: p>0.05.
Table 3.
Breast Volume and Surface Measurement.
Figure 8.
The breast surface and area distribution.
A horizontal plane (XZ plane) was placed through nipple level to divide the breast into upper and lower poles. The surface of each pole and the area distribution were calculated at each time point in percentage. The area percentages of lower pole increased over time while the opposite for the upper pole. The percentage of upper and lower pole at each time point was compared with post-12M. ** is p<0.01, * is p<0.05, ns is no significant difference. The upper pole breast surface: post-1M vs. post-12M, post-3M vs. post-12M and post-6M vs. post-12M: p>0.05.
Figure 9.
The change of breast contour between post-1M and post-12M in sagittal slice.
The red line shows the breast contour of post-1M and the black line shows the post-12M. Post-1M has a relatively plump upper pole versus post-12M and post-12M has a relatively plump lower pole.