All women should undergo mammograms throughout their lives, ideally starting at age 40 (or earlier for those with a family history or certain genetic traits). However, some women may be concerned that mammography might not work for them because of their breast tissue type.
Dense breast tissue can make interpreting a mammogram more difficult because the image is cloudier and full of white patterning. Still, women with even very dense breasts can benefit from regular mammograms.
It is essential to make the most of these appointments to understand what breast density has to do with mammogram results, how these mammograms can be interpreted, and ways that patients can maximize the accuracy of their mammography reports.
Do You Have Dense Breasts?
Before a woman can approach her mammogram with information about her breast density, she must understand whether or not she has dense breasts in the first place. Breast “density” is the composition of the breast tissue.
In many women, the breasts are made up largely of fatty tissue, which appears grayish on mammography imaging. Within breasts, fibrous tissue (thicker bands or sections of the breast) helps to give these anatomical features their shape, holding the breasts in place.
The fatty and fibrous tissue does not interfere with breast imaging for most people. However, some women have very thick fibrous tissue or may have an abundance of glandular tissues, the milk-producing glands, and ducts that carry the milk.
Together, these features can make the breast dense, obscuring findings more easily visualized in fatty areas. Women can range from almost entirely fatty breasts, which are easy to scan, to dense breasts with minimal fat, which can be much more challenging.
How to Read Mammograms With a Breast Density Report
As of 2024, the FDA now requires that every mammogram include a patient’s breast density report. Patients can read this information for themselves; the report will directly specify that the patient’s breasts are either “dense” or “not dense.”
This determination is made by categorizing the breast on a scale from A to D, which will also be included in the report:
- Category A: The breast is made up almost exclusively of fatty tissues.
- Category B: Some areas of glandular and fibrous tissue exist but are scattered and minor.
- Category C: A large portion of the breast is made of fibrous and glandular tissue (this is called being heterogeneously dense).
- Category D: Breasts are made almost entirely of dense tissues with very little fat.
Do Mammograms Work on Dense Breast Tissue?
Even in Category D women, mammograms are still an essential part of healthcare. While it is true that clearly visualizing all parts of the breast tissue can be more difficult when that tissue is dense, a professional can still spot problematic areas that may lead to cancerous growth.
This rate of success in identifying cancer early is still higher and more effective than waiting for symptoms to develop from cancerous growth and then pursuing treatment.
How to Get the Clearest Results
Dense breast tissue can make mammograms a little more challenging, but this is something that skilled professionals see all the time; in fact, around half of women have dense breasts. While a woman cannot change the tissue composition of her own body, there are some things she can do to facilitate clearer, more accurate results during a mammogram:
Work with a skilled team: Some providers have more experience with dense breast tissue than others. Select a mammography team that works with imaging on dense breasts frequently, as they will be more knowledgeable about what to look for.- Get mammograms regularly: For women with dense breast tissue, frequent mammograms are essential. Having a history of breast tissue images will allow the doctor to see gradual changes over time, clarifying which parts of the breast are normal and which are not. This additional resource increases the likelihood of finding problematic growths in dense breast tissue.
- All women should be careful to follow their doctor’s instructions before mammograms, but this can be especially important for those with dense breast tissue. Avoid wearing lotion or other cosmetics that could interfere with the mammogram to make sure doctors take a clear picture.
Trust Your Mammograms to Professionals
Dense breast tissue can make mammograms more difficult, but it should not discourage patients from getting scanned. In fact, it is more important than ever for women with dense breasts to get regular mammograms because having a history of images can lead mammograms to be more accurate.
Trust a team that regularly scans dense breasts for the best results. Contact Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness today to schedule your mammogram.