You and your doctor should talk about your breast tissue density and discuss additional screening exams, if necessary. Mammograms are a key part of maintaining your breast health.
1. What is Dense Breast Tissue?
Breast tissue is made up of fibrous, glandular, and fatty tissue. Tissue is considered dense when there is a lot of fibrous or glandular tissue, but not much fat. The radiologist that reads your mammogram determines if a if your breast tissue is dense or not.
2. Why is breast density important?
There are four categories of mammographic density in which the radiologist will assign each patient. These categories include; Almost entirely fat, Scattered areas of fibroglandlar density, Heterogeneously dense, and Extremely dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue appears white on mammograms which can cause patients to require further imaging such as an ultrasound.
3. If I have dense breasts do I still need a mmaogram?
The answer will always be yes! Mammograms are the only medical imaging screening rest proven to reduce breast cancer deaths. Many cancers are still seen on mammograms even if you have dense breast tissue.