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Lisa, Julie, Nancy, & Jan

We were welcomed yesterday with a visit from Lisa Carberg of NBC Connecticut.  Lisa and crew came to the office to film a story on dense breast tissue.  I thank Lisa and my "dense breast buddies", Nancy Cappello and Jan Kritzman, for helping to make this event possible and for the ability to share this important information with other women.  

 Are you aware that in the state of Connecticut you are required to be notified of your breast density?  In 2009, Connecticut was the first state to pass notification legislation and there are currently only 13 other states with this legislation in place.  

What does it mean to have dense breasts?   When the majority of the breast is composed of fibrous and glandular tissue, a woman is reported to have "dense breasts".   While dense breast tissue is more common in younger women, it is also seen in older women.   Approximately half of all women have dense breast tissue.

What is the concern?  Women with dense breast tissue have a greater risk of breast cancer.  Interpretation of dense breast mammograms can be markedly limited depending on how much dense tissue is present.  Cancers can hide in dense tissue and may not be detected on a mammogram.  

What is recommended for dense breasts?  Routine screening mammograms should be obtained.  A screening breast ultrasound is also highly recommended, as this gives the radiologist a better look into the dense tissue.  Screening breast ultrasound  has been shown to detect cancers not visible on the mammogram and can be a life saving study.  

Watch for our upcoming news story and feel free to contact the office with any questions or concerns regarding breast density!

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