ACR Breast Density: Relationship with Age, and Its Impact on Mammographic and Ultrasound Findings

Breast cancer is a commonest cancer among women. Early detection by screening and diagnostic mammography could be reduced morbidity rate. ACR breast density is a risk factor in diagnosis of breast cancer in women whom have dense breast. ACR density mostly reduced with increasing age. A retrospective study carried on 222 female patients aged between 32-75 years with a mean 49 years, range 43 years, all patient subjected to mammography and complementary ultrasound, aimed to detect relation between ACR breast density and the age and the impact of ACR breast density on mammographic and ultrasound findings. Dense breasts (ACR d) seen only at younger age groups around 16 patients from 31-40 years age group and 14 patients from 41-50 years age group, the sensitivity and specificity of mammography in detection suspicious lesions in fatty breasts (ACR a) around 94.7% and 100 % respectively while the sensitivity and specificity of mammography in detection suspicious lesions in dense breasts (ACR c & d) were around 50% and 100 % respectively. ACR breast density usually has inverse relationship with the age, it could be reduced sensitivity of mammography in early detection of suspicious breast lesion especially in women have dense breasts, Addition of breast ultrasound as complementary imaging tool could be helpful in detection of occult mammographic lesions that could not detected in dense breasts.