“Dense breasts” are words that describe the mix of fat, milk glands/milk ducts and fibrous tissue in a breast. The more glands and fibrous tissue a woman has (also called “fibroglandular” tissue), the “denser” her breast tissue.
Each woman has a unique mix of fatty and dense tissue in her breasts. Some women have very little dense tissue compared to fatty. Other women have more dense tissue compared to fatty. Most women’s breasts are somewhere in-between.
Are Dense Breasts Normal?
Dense breasts are normal and common. Dense breasts are not caused by illness or disease. But there are some reasons for concern. That is because dense breasts can make it harder for radiologists to find cancer on a mammogram. Also, dense breasts increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer.
Here is more to know:
- Dense tissue appears as light gray or white on a mammogram (see image on the right). In dense breasts, any lump (whether due to cancer, or not) can also look light gray or white. That makes it harder for radiologists to find cancers on a mammogram for women who have dense breasts. It is like trying to find a snowball in a blizzard.
- Dense breasts are a risk factor for breast cancer. A woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with the level of density in her breast.
Video: What is Breast Density?
Learn More:
- 5 Facts Every Woman Should Know
- Video Series: Let’s Talk About Dense Breasts
- Patient Risk Checklist (print)
- Patient Questions and Answers