Clinic Connections Women's Health Spotlight: Breast Cancer Care Through the Medical Assistant Lens-Chapter 3: Breast Density and Supplemental Screening

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Chapter 3: Breast Density and Supplemental Screening

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Breast density is the amount of glandular tissue compared with fat in the breast. More glandular tissue means a denser breast, which can make mammograms less sensitive because both dense tissue and cancers appear white. FDA rules now require women to be notified of their density. For patients with heterogeneously dense or extremely dense breasts, discuss whether supplemental screening is appropriate. Options include whole-breast ultrasound, MRI, or contrast-enhanced mammography. MRI is generally the most sensitive. Explain the benefits, false-positive risk, and possible insurance costs. Encourage patients to review resources like densebreastinfo.org and to make shared decisions with their provider.

Keywords

breast density

mammogram sensitivity

supplemental screening

dense breasts

MRI