Frequently asked questions.

Breast tissue is composed of three types of tissue, fatty, glandular and connective tissue.  Breasts with a higher proportion of glandular and connective tissue relative to fatty tissue are considered dense. The current FDA guidelines list 4 categories of breasts: A. Almost all fatty tissue; B. Mostly fatty tissue with scattered dense tissue; C. Mixed fatty and dense tissue, know as heterogeneously dense; D. Extremely dense tissue (mostly all glandular and connective tissue).  The latter two categories are considered dense breasts.

Breast Density is determined by a mammogram. New FDA guidelines require all mammography facilities to notify patients if they have ‘dense’ or ‘not dense’ breasts by letter after their screening.  The doctor who ordered the mammogram can also tell you which of the two density categories you fall into, either heterogeneously dense or extremely dense.

Unfortunately, yes. Even though dense breasts are common, studies have determined that having dense breasts is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Because of that elevated risk, women with dense breasts, and particularly women with extremely dense breasts, are encouraged to have yearly screening mammograms and to become familiar with their breasts and any changes in them.

Because mammograms can miss up to 40% of cancers in women with dense breasts, many doctors will order additional screenings such as ultrasound or even MRIs for women with dense breasts.  Women with extremely dense breasts are also more likely to require biopsies to insure there are no malignancies.

Advanced Ultrasound has been shown to reduce the need for invasive breast biopsies because of its ability to show vascular structures and oxygenation in surrounding tissue. BeSound is working on a future where its Advanced Ultrasound will be able to offer cost-effective screenings to women who are under 40 and not yet eligible for insurance covered mammograms.

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Websites about Dense Breasts:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/in-depth/dense-breast-tissue/art-20123968

https://www.bcrf.org/blog/dense-breast-tissue-what-it-means-and-what-to-know/