What Is Dense Breast Tissue?
Many factors are involved when assessing a woman’s risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. These factors include family history, age, geography, and many more. What some women may not know is, the density of breast tissue plays one of the most important factors. Dense breast tissue can alter the way breast cancer may appear on an annual screening mammogram and how your radiologist will interpret images from your imaging studies. Here are some details about breast tissue density and how certain women's imaging studies including 3D mammograms can help.
What Is Dense Breast Tissue?
Dense breast tissue is a specific description that categorizes how your breast tissue appears on a mammogram. Dense breast tissue is a very common finding. Traditional (2D) & 3D mammograms show images of different types of tissue. These images show non-dense tissue as dark and transparent areas. The dense breast tissue appears as solid white areas. These solid white areas are difficult to interpret since they are hard to see through. Dense breast tissue can make symptoms and signs of breast cancer hard to detect.
What Causes It?
Dense breast tissue doesn’t have an exact cause. There are certain characteristics that point towards having high breast tissue density, however. A women’s age correlates with breast tissue density. As you age, your tissue will slowly become less dense. Women with a lower body mass index (BMI) are more likely to have more dense tissue. Women who have taken hormone therapy for menopause symptoms have shown an increased likelihood to have dense breast tissue. Keep these factors in mind as you go through annual screening mammogram appointments.
What Should I Do?
Women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, making it even more important to take the right precautions. Since dense breast tissue can make traditional mammograms difficult to interpret, it is recommended for women to have a 3D annual screening mammogram or a breast MRI scan in addition to their traditional mammogram.
A 3D mammogram is a type of women's imaging study that expands the capabilities of a traditional mammogram without changing the process. 3D mammograms offer high-quality and more detailed results in comparison to traditional mammograms. Like a traditional mammogram, your breast will need to be compressed to complete this scan. 3D mammograms only require compression one time, unlike a traditional mammogram.
A breast MRI scan allows radiologists to obtain a deeper look at breast tissue, which can detect signs of breast cancer that a mammogram cannot. A breast MRI scan is a noninvasive, quick, painless imaging study like a 3D mammogram. SJRA has subspecialized, breast imaging radiologists who can utilize 3D mammograms and breast MRI scans to detect early stages of breast cancer regardless of breast tissue density.
If you are interested in more information regarding breast tissue density and women’s imaging studies that can help, reach out to any of the following locations:
- Cherry Hill Office – Cherry Hill, NJ
- Haddonfield Office – Haddonfield, NJ
- Greentree Office – Marlton, NJ
- Turnersville Office – Turnersville, NJ
- Women's Center at Cross Keys – Sewell, NJ
- Women's Center at Voorhees – Voorhees Township, NJ
- Women's Center at Virtua – Voorhees Township, NJ
- West Deptford Office – West Deptford, NJ
Learn more about the board-certified sub-specialized radiologists who read and interpret studies at SJRA here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dense breast tissue refers to the appearance of breast tissue on a mammogram. It is a common finding where the breast tissue appears as solid white areas on the images, making it difficult to detect abnormalities such as breast cancer.
The exact cause of dense breast tissue is unknown, but certain factors are associated with higher breast tissue density. These factors include age (younger women tend to have denser breasts), lower body mass index (BMI), and the use of hormone therapy.
If you have dense breasts, it is important to take extra precautions for breast cancer screening. In addition to a traditional mammogram, it is recommended for women with dense breasts to undergo an annual screening 3D mammogram or a breast MRI.
A 3D mammogram is an advanced women's imaging study that enhances the capabilities of a traditional 2D mammogram. It provides more detailed and high-quality results compared to traditional mammograms. While the breast still needs to be compressed during the scan, the compression is required only once, unlike traditional mammograms.
A breast MRI scan offers a deeper look at breast tissue, allowing our radiologists to detect signs of breast cancer that may not be visible on a mammogram. It is a non-invasive, quick, and painless imaging study that can provide valuable information, especially for women with dense breast tissue.
For more information about breast tissue density and women's imaging studies, you can reach out to any of our following locations:
- Cherry Hill Office – Cherry Hill, NJ
- Haddonfield Office – Haddonfield, NJ
- Greentree Office – Marlton, NJ
- Turnersville Office – Turnersville, NJ
- Women's Center at Cross Keys – Sewell, NJ
- Women's Center at Voorhees – Voorhees Township, NJ
- Women's Center at Virtua – Voorhees Township, NJ
- West Deptford Office – West Deptford, NJ
SJRA has a team of board-certified, subspecialized radiologists who are experts in breast imaging. They have extensive experience in reading and interpreting 3D mammograms, breast MRIs, and breast ultrasounds. You can learn more about our radiologists by viewing our physicians' profiles page.