Dense Breasts Hike Risk of Aggressive Cancer

I didn't have a clue what they were talking about Dense Breast.  I did always have to get biopsy's and that was a bit much for me but never understood that Dense Breast meant anything or that it was even "one of those words" you need to understand- like calcification and if they say a lot going on.  It just doesn't mean anything until it is too late.  I tell everyone watch out if they say something like Dense Breast.  They never seem to know what I am talking about but I bet if they ever hear those words that they call me.  Doing my part to keep women from having to go through this crap, I hope.

The tech who did my last mammogram called mine "busy breasts".  I had a 1.1 cm IDC.  I wish I had known enough to ask before this had happened.

I know that kind of terminology is not only offensive but it just makes it easy to not pay to much attention to it.  Busy Breast, A Lot Going On, Dense Breast none of that sounds too worrisome. Come to find out maybe should have paid more attention.  I had no idea about the MRI but I finally kept asking "what does dense breast mean".  Finally my oncologist sent me for a MRI but I did not have a clue that that was the only way to really monitor dense breast, the medical society does not tell you or maybe it is the insurance companies.  So, what do you think the technical word for Dense Breast or Busy Breast is?

I was also told I have dense breasts and the tech was very open about why this is a problem.   She was doing the ultrasound looking for my lill solitary papilloma.  Half an hour later, she found it.  And, that was with looking at the first ultrasound report to help her. 

MRI is a very good diagnostic measure for soft tissue but I guess they would weigh up the cost of every woman with dense breasts getting one as not, being a very cost effective way of detecting otherwise hard to find cancer in dense breast tissue. 

Has anyone ever heard of dense breasts being a issue for a MRI ?

Thank you Moderators for providing the link:)

I have read the link you provided and it talks about Mammograms, does this hold true to MRI's as well? 

Im hoping someone can tell me what these two comments mean??

1.  Images show moderate amount of background parenchymal enhancement. Sensitivity of the study is diminished?

2, Moderate amount of background parenchymal enhancement diminishing sensitivity of the the study?

Does this mean dense breast tissue? can anyone explain in laymen terms what this actually means?  I have asked on other threads and I am not sure if I am asking it the right way or not but I would really like an explanation of what it means? 

Hi Vickie

Thanks for the information and yes I have heard the same thing  

I was just trying to figure out the meaning of those two phrases that were stated on my report and it doesnt seem that anyone can shed some light on them, I have asked a couple of times about it and Im not getting anywhere or no one seems to know the layman terms of whats typed. 

Thank you so much for trying I really appreciate it. I know everyone is here to help and they cant give medical advice, I just thought they could tell me the meaning of the terms used on the report.

I am rather frustrated over this and I dont know any other way to ask it. I have posted in a couple different sections hoping someone can decifer it but it seems fruitless.  I guess if I had a doctor I could ask what it meant but I dont, I would have to go into the emerg and ask but I find the emerg is meant for people with an emergeny and dont like to take up there time. I tried to talk to the surgeon that received my report but he didnt explain anything to me other than a couple words of "its ok"  small town doctors and years of frustrations of feeling like just a number to them with 10 seconds or less given to talk to them hasnt helped (Ontario Canada) if I could hire a new one I would but it doesnt work that way here.  I give up asking anymore, It is what it is and its not because I havent asked or tried. So much for trying to understand anything and I guess ignorance is bliss.  Sorry for the rant, I would like nothing better than to close this chapter in my life and forget about all the stress I have gone through up to this point and I wish just for once Doctors would write on a report something normal people can understand.  

Hi Dagny (GreenSea Turtle)

Ahhhh sooo someone who has heard of this on the report (Im hoping its not a bad thing) 

I have tried to search for it and you can find certain words about it but not in the phrase that's stated on the report   Its like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

It is soooo frustrating   That would be great if you could let me know because right now I feel like I'm at a standstill on what to do? If it means nothing bad then I will wait for my six month follow up and if its something bad then I will have to shake someone up for more tests? although I don't know what more they could do?  At this point I just wish they would take out every cyst I have and get rid of them.  I haven't been aggressive enough with the ding dong family doctor I had before he moved away and always went by what he said (not that he left me any choice) Then I was finally able to get a hold of all my reports and I have seen all the stuff he never talked to me about   Its very frustrating because Mammo shows one thing, Ultrasound showed a lot more like complex cysts  (freaked me out a bit) and MRI shows cysts, I just thought the MRI would be the final say and tell me I was worried for nothing and they are half right about that..... but its those two darn phrases that have left me unsettled and I cant seem to put it to rest until I find out what it means.  So I am left wondering if I should keep pushing for a Breast Specialist or leave it be and wait six months?  My only other option is to walk into the emergency department and ask for my results there and see if they will refer me to one. I find in this small town the doctors seem to like to cover each others butts so I have NO faith in the doctors from around here I trust my test results from the Ultrasound / MRI  but one said one thing the other something else Does the MRI overide the Ultrasound? Does anyone know?  

When I received my results from the one time Surgeon all he said was "its ok"  I voiced my concerns tried to ask questions, he was shaking his head no and said its ok .... arrgggg  he felt my breasts with his hands and said nope and sat down   How can a doctor tell by feel ??? I have such dense breasts how can he possibly feel all of them ? ohh and that exam took all of about a minute on both breasts.

Sorry again for the rant ..... but it seems it has left me with more questions than answers. 

Again it would be great if you could let me know the meaning on the report if you find out before I do and if happens  find out before you I will post it on here

I hope everything is ok with you ? You mentioned you have to go for a specialist app.?  

I was told that I had dense breasts but I never really knew what that meant. I assumed that they just had to try harder to read the mammogram, not that they would miss something. I can't believe I was so uninformed.

This is my first post as a member of this club I never wanted to join.  Thank you all for being here.

Every woman should consider asking their radiologist and/or physician for their breast density measurement via mammo, given in percentages,  especially if u r high risk. The MRI is especially helpful for dense breast tissue too. With dense breasts and mammos, there is often huge difficulties with interpretations due to the "white out" effect. Dense tissue is white and tumors are often white so, how does one distinguish normal tissue from that containing a tumor?? Exactly my point,  so many tumors go undetected until they are often palpated with the end result being that of advanced and/or aggressive BC. Truly sucks. The MRI is a highly sensitive test, but with dense breasts its the best possible defensive tool available, according to much research.

I had been having "normal" mammos for 5 years but was also told I had dense breasts. Had "normal" mammo in Nov of 10, and found lump in April 11. Even the day I had my BMX, my tumors (found a second one on US), never showed on mammo. Wish I had known to insist on an US or MRI before this. If your gut is telling you that something is not right, listen to it.

Not that I am aware of. MRI is the usually the finaly standard for finding breast tumors in dense breasts, but ultrasounds are also very accurate as well.

Tamtam:

I know it is a bit scary but they look for clusters of calcification's and that is where they try to biopsy.    They are really able to find bc very early by doing that.      

Vickie 

Pat:  I had the genetic testing done BEFORE my bilat mx.  IBRCA1 and BRCA2 both were negative!! That's one reason my oncologist tried to talk me out of having the mx. So, here I am with bc and the tests are negative. Does that mean my daughter wont' be affected?  There are too many relatives in my family with bc or those who've  already passed away with bc. It runs in our family, so regardless of what that test said, I was having the bilat mx. 

My daughter is 38 and her obgyn says she doesn't have to have mammo's until 40.. I beg to differ and my daughter is already scared, so she tells them she feels something every year so they'll do a mammo. It's sad that it has to be done like that!!  Too many young ladies under 40 with bc.....

Good morning

Ok I have a question and would like some input on it and I am hoping someone will jump in and give there opinions on it.

I do have very dense breasts and have had a few mammos and ultrasounds done every two years for the past 8 years now.

1. Mammo over the past couple years shows cysts in the axillary and last appointment shows this again.

2. Ultrasound has always shown cysts and now multiple complex cysts as of last test done.

3. MRI shows cysts only as reported on the last test I had.

4. Both Mammo and MRI states on reports that my breasts are very dense and both Mammo and MRI have a hard time seeing through everything. 

My questions would be :  would you leave it all alone and not worry any further until the MRI/ Ultrasound comes around in six months?   would you trust in the MRI result and forget about the Ultrasound result for the complex cysts?  I would like nothing better than to walk away and say Im fine until the six month appointment rolls around ? I would really like the opinions of all the other great ladies on this board whether they be good or bad.