Breast Density and the Risk of Breast Cancer

There is great variation among women in the density of breast parenchyma as seen on mammograms. Mammographic density also varies inversely with age. Thus, younger women tend to have denser breasts than older women, but many older women also have dense breasts.The mammographic density of breast parenchyma depends on the amount of connective tissue and glandular tissue in the breast. Breasts dominated by adipose tissue, which appear less dense, are easy to assess with mammography. Thus, the most important clinical implication of denser breasts is that they are more difficult to evaluate with mammography. Small breast cancers presenting as . . .