What happens when you find out that your breasts are denser than usual? Breasts contain different types of tissue – there is fat tissue, connective tissue, and glandular tissue. When breasts are dense, it means that there are high amounts of glandular and connective tissue but that there are lower amounts of fat tissue. It should be noted that dense breast tissue shows up during a mammogram, so it cannot be found simply through a standard breast exam. The levels of breast density are determined using a system called Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, or “BI-RADS.”
Breast density can be inherited, and it is very common. In fact, nearly half of women 40 and over have dense breasts. The risk for breast cancer actually increases with the amount of breast density, as well – so if your breasts are dense, you should have mammograms regularly and take follow-ups seriously. If you need to schedule a 3-D mammography, contact us for an appointment.
