About breast density
Mammography offers early detection of breast cancer.
What you need to know
Breast density varies from woman to woman. There are four levels of breast tissue density, ranging from not dense to extremely dense. All are normal, but extremely dense tissue can hide small tumors. The outlook for breast cancer is good when caught early during screening, so it’s important to find tumors when they are small.
Every woman who gets a screening mammogram at Legacy Health will get information about breast density in a mammogram results letter, along with information on what to do if extremely dense tissue is identified.
Legacy Breast Health Centers use 3-D technology for mammograms, one of the best tools for detecting breast cancer. This type of screening offers a detailed 3-D picture by taking images of thin "slices" of the breast from different angles. This mammography allows a doctor to more clearly see fine details, which is particularly important in detecting cancer in women with dense breast tissue.
