What does a diagnosis of dense breasts mean?

The Food and Drug Administration issued a rule in March of 2023 that requires healthcare professionals to notify people if they have dense breasts.

Dr. Kristin Robinson, a Mayo Clinic breast radiologist, says women with dense breast tissue are at a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to women without, and that’s why early detection is so important.

"About 50% of women have dense breast tissue," says Dr. Robinson.

"When we see a woman's mammogram, that dense tissue, that fibroglandular tissue, looks white, whereas the fat looks dark or like a black color. So, when we're looking at a mammogram, the more white tissue we see, the more dense a woman’s breasts are considered," says Dr. Robinson.

The radiologist encourages women with dense breast tissue to have supplemental screenings.

"Whole-breast screening ultrasound, MRI, molecular breast imaging, and contrast-enhanced mammography" are some options patients might consider, says Dr. Robinson.

Originally published in Mayo Clinic News Network