What is dense breast tissue?
Breasts contain fat, glandular tissue, and connective tissue.
The National Cancer Institutehas images hereof the four different categories of breast density.
Breasts that are fatty or that only have scattered areas of denser tissue appear darker.
Breasts that are heterogeneously dense or extremely dense have more of the white areas.
If youre told you have dense breast tissue, you fall into one of these last two categories.
Who has dense breast tissue?
Dense breast tissue is common; the FDA estimates that almost half of women over 40 have dense breasts.
People who are older or who have had children are less likely to have dense breasts.
Is it bad to have dense breast tissue?
The other is that breast cancer seems to be more common in people with dense breasts.
We arent sure why.
How will I find out if I have dense breast tissue?
Your breast tissue is not dense.
Talk to your healthcare provider about breast density, risks for breast cancer, and your individual situation.
In that case, you will see this message:
Breast tissue can be either dense or not dense.
Your breast tissue is dense.
In some people with dense tissue, other imaging tests in addition to a mammogram may help find cancers.
Talk to your healthcare provider about breast density, risks for breast cancer, and your individual situation.
What happens if I am told I have dense breast tissue?
This is the tricky part.
Ultimately, it should be up to you and your doctor, experts say.
Insurance doesnt always cover extra imaging if youre getting it done because you have dense breasts.
