What is Dense Breast Tissue?
Breast health plays a key role in overall health for women of all ages. Women 40 years and older should schedule a yearly mammogram to check for abnormalities or growths.
If you’ve undergone screening before, you may have heard the term dense breast tissue. Wondering what it is and how to check for it?
Keep reading to learn how to check for dense breast tissue.
What Is Dense Breast Tissue?
This term describes how your breasts look on a mammogram.
Breasts are made up of glands, fat, and fibrous tissue. If you have more glands and fibrous tissues than fat, then your breasts are considered “dense.”
Dense breast tissue is quite common. In fact, it’s found in 40% of women over the age of 40.
Wondering How to Check for Dense Breast Tissue? A Mammogram Is the Best Option!
While it’s important to perform regular self-exams on your breast, you can’t check for dense breast tissue externally. The only way to know for certain is with a mammogram.
After the scan, your doctor will classify your breasts as one of these four categories:
Fatty
Scattered density
Heterogeneously dense
Extremely dense
Having dense breasts doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong, but you may be at an increased risk of breast cancer. Dense tissue makes it harder to detect cancer on a mammogram, because both show up as white, which can hide small tumors.
If your breasts are considered extremely dense, your doctor may suggest additional screening options like an MRI or ultrasound, especially if you have other risk factors.
Schedule a Mammogram Today at Capital Women's Care of Howard County
Early detection with annual mammograms is vital for protecting your well being. For all of your breast care and screening needs, come to Capital Women’s Care Howard County.
If you’re looking for a compassionate and experienced gynecologist, call or request an appointment online today for expert care in Howard County, MD.