Better Breast Cancer Detection for Dense Breasts
Having dense breast tissue is common. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong. If your mammogram shows you have dense breast tissue, your provider may recommend adding an ultrasound to your screening after discussing your personal health history with you.
Our breast health specialists are leaders in using advanced technology to provide you with high-quality, compassionate care. Women who have dense breast tissue can have a higher risk for developing breast cancer, and dense breast tissue can make it harder for doctors to see cancer on a mammogram.
What Is Dense Breast Tissue?
Breasts are made up of fat and two kinds of tissue: fibrous tissue and glandular tissue. Dense breasts have more fibrous and glandular tissue than fat.
The only way to tell if you have dense breasts or not is to get a mammogram. We classify breasts into one of four categories:
- Fatty: The breasts are almost all fat. It’s rare to have these kinds of breasts.
- Scattered fibroglandular density: The breasts are mostly fatty breast tissue with some areas of dense glandular and fibrous connective tissue.
- Heterogeneously dense: The breasts have large areas of dense fibrous and glandular tissue, and some fatty tissue.
- Extremely dense: The breasts have almost all dense glandular and fibrous connective tissue. It is also rare to have these kinds of breasts.
Your provider will consider your breasts dense if they’re heterogeneously dense or extremely dense.
Why Does Breast Density Matter?
Fatty breast tissue shows up dark on a mammogram. Fibrous and glandular tissue appears white on a mammogram. Cancers and other abnormalities also show up white on a mammogram. The more dense tissue there is, the harder it can be to tell the difference between healthy tissue and cancer.
What Are the Benefits of Whole-Breast Ultrasound?
St. Luke's Breast Center offers Invenia™ ABUS automated whole-breast ultrasound meant to be done with a mammogram and help provide a more complete evaluation of dense breast tissue. When dense tissue is scanned with ultrasound, tissue appears white and masses appear black – making them easier to see. The addition of ABUS screening when used with mammography has demonstrated a 35.7% increase in cancer detection compared to mammography alone. (1)
Considering Whole-Breast Ultrasound
Discuss your personal health factors and breast density with your provider. They can help you decide if adding whole breast ultrasound to your mammogram is right for you. Whole breast ultrasound exam coverage varies by health insurance provider and plan. Ask your insurance provider about your coverage.
1. FDA PMA P110006 summary of safety and effectiveness.