All about dense breast tissue and what is means for breast cancer
Dense breast tissue means that breast tissue is comprised of more fibrous and glandular tissue than fatty tissue. As mammograms rely on the differential appearance of fibrous tissue and fatty tissue to be accurate, if the breast tissue is dense, that may decrease the sensitivity of a standard 2D mammogram. Given the fact that dense breast tissue increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer and is difficult to diagnose on a standard mammogram, it may be worth discussing the value of additional supplemental screening to manage the risk of breast cancer on a case-by-case basis. In this article, a consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon discusses the complexities of dense breast tissue and the importance of screening.
