Dassoulas KR, Ndem I, Holland M, Chou J, Schroen AT, Campbell CA. Prepectoral breast reconstruction prompts revisiting the anatomical boundaries of the breast: a radiographic and cadaveric study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2025;155:1e-8e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000011550
Disclosure
Dr. Epstein is a paid investigator in the Motiva U.S. FDA clinical trial and is compensated by Establishment Labs to train surgeons on the Preservé breast augmentation technique. He discloses this relationship in all public communications involving Motiva or Preservé. Dr. Epstein owns stock in Establishment Labs.
What This Study Found
Using MRI on 290 breasts and direct measurement on 8 cadaver dissections, this study pinned down exactly where the breast's natural connective-tissue boundaries sit relative to standard landmarks: the collarbone, the breastbone, the underarm muscle, and the fold under the breast.
Key Findings
- 290 breasts studied by MRI; 8 cadaver breast dissections for direct comparison
- Outer boundary sits roughly 4 to 4.5 cm inside the edge of the large back muscle
- Inner boundary sits roughly 2 to 5 cm from the breastbone, depending on measurement method
- Bottom boundary sits above the fold under the breast in the large majority of breasts studied (82.7% by MRI, 100% by cadaver dissection)
- MRI and cadaver findings matched closely with each other, reinforcing that these boundaries are consistent and predictable
Why This Matters for Preservé Patients
Written for surgeons doing implant-based reconstruction, but it reinforces the same anatomical map (a defined connective-tissue boundary around the breast) that the tissue-preservation augmentation literature is also built around.
