Why your mammography results may soon tell you if you have dense breasts

The density of breast tissue can make it more difficult to detect tumors by mammography. Some states already have laws that require patients to know if they have dense breast tissue. Now, the FDA has proposed a rule that would impose a dense breast notification across the country.

Breast tissue contains a combination of less dense fat and fibroglandular tissue, which includes glands and milk ducts. If you have more fibroglandular tissue, you are at increased risk of breast cancer and any tumor may be more difficult to detect. About half of women aged 40 and over have dense breasts.

Depending on your risk (and your insurance coverage), you may be able to have a 3D mammogram, breast MRI, ultrasound or any other type of screening. But not everyone with dense breasts has a higher risk of cancer, and it is unclear if additional screening is effective. Unfortunately, experts do not agree on what a patient should do if he receives a letter telling him that he has dense breast tissue – beyond "talking to his doctor," always a good advice for any health problem.