What are Dense Breasts?
Dense breasts are breasts that have a higher proportion of breast tissue. Breast tissue is composed of ducts, lobules, suspensory ligaments, and fat. Women with dense breasts tend to have more ducts, lobules, and suspensory ligaments and less fat. Breast cancer comes from the ducts and lobules. Dense breast tissue is unrelated to breast size. We typically do not recommend a screening mammogram on women under the age of 40, as they typically have high density breasts. As we age, these elements are replaced more and more by fat, which in turns makes mammography more and more accurate.
Imagine a window with a gradient tint, where you can see through the top portion of the window, but not the bottom. Dense breast tissue can be likened to the part of the window with a heavy tint, making it difficult to see through the tissue and identify areas of concern.
Understanding Breast Density: What It Means for You
Density goes from A-D, D being the most dense breasts. Dense breasts can vary greatly and just because you have dense breast tissue does not mean that there is a one size fits all protocol. A mammogram report will often mention dense breasts, which can be alarming for women. However, once the images are reviewed by a breast surgeon, women are able to better understand their level of risk and the reason behind the need for additional images.
What is the advantage of visiting a breast center if you have dense breast tissue?
A breast surgeon as well as the radiologist will help determine what is the appropriate schedule for imaging in a patient with dense breasts. There are some women who have extremely dense breasts and a mammogram alone is not sufficient to evaluate the breast tissue. In this case, we would also recommend a breast MRI to be able to accurately evaluate the patient for abnormal areas in the breast.
The amount of radiation delivered by the mammography machine is dependent on how much your breasts can be compressed. Increased radiation does not mean that the images of dense breast tissue will be more clear or easier to read. Even with these parameters, mammography is the best tool for baseline and screening imaging that we have at our disposal.
For women who truly have dense breast tissue, a visit with a breast specialist will help you understand your risk factors and why additional imaging is necessary in your case.