How do I know whether my breasts are dense?

[GraceUnderPresure]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0gg7p015jo

I mean, mine aren't particularly intelligent as far as I'm aware but AIBU to think this is a scare headline as unless I'm missing something we have no way to know whether this applies to us?

I had my first mammogram after finding a lump and they informed me they were made of dense tissue. I assume you’d go for your first scan and if you were identified as being in the category be put on a more regular scan programme.

I was told at my first scan that my breasts are too dense for it to be useful.

They tell you at your first mammogram. Mine are dense but otherwise unremarkable apparently. How rude!

Yep, at my first mammogram (overseas, not NHS) they did the mammogram first, checked to see how dense they are, then sent me to another room for an ultrasound. The technician can tell straight away from looking at the images.

Oh FFS! It literally tells you in the article how they know if your breasts are dense! This is a scheme to help detect more breast cancer, how can it be scaremongering?

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

You're missing the bit where it says if you have a mammogram and they look white (instead of dark) - like BC does - they'll tell you and arrange for a different screening method.

No scaremongering at all, just factual reporting that makes it clear if you read past the introductory paragraph.

Not a conspiracy theory at all - and it doesn't tell you how to tell for yourself, the article says "It is only through mammograms that women and their health professionals can identify breasts that are very dense"

The other helpful replies have told me that they tell you when you have your first scan, I just think it's going to worry women unnecessarily when the NHS is already dealing with this it seems.

But you still have to have a scan to find out and breast screening doesn't start until you're in your 50s

It doesn't tell you how to tell for yourself because you can't tell for yourself. As the sentence you quoted states, you can only tell through a mammogram.

How dense.

I am not referring to the OP's breasts.

And breast screening doesn't start until you're in your 50s, but breast cancer does and surely women with dense breasts are going to be less able to find lumps?

@GraceUnderPresure - I don't think that's right, I can still examine my breasts really well even though they're dense. Plus a lot of what you're looking for is changes, which I can definitely feel.

Ah, that's good to hear

I was referred for a mammogram when I found a breast lump a couple of years ago. I also had an ultrasound at the same appointment and was told twice that I have very dense breasts - they showed me the images to explain. I then had a routine mammogram this year but no additional screening. Those of you who have also been told your breasts are dense, have you been offered additional screening following a normal mammogram?

I haven’t but I’m only 43 and went to investigate changes / a lump

Hi OP. I was told I had dense breasts when I had a mammogram after finding a lump (it was just a cyst). You can't feel whether you have dense breasts, it's only detected on a mammogram. However, I was told that younger women tend to have denser breasts and the density decreases with age, particularly around the menopaise, so you won't necessarily always have dense breasts.

Despite my dense breasts, I can still feel lumps and notice changes, so keep checking!

Mine are. They can tell by the mammogram? I always have a follow up U/S. I’m not in the UK though. They always have been and I’m 56 now so I guess they will always be. B cup. Don’t think size is relevant.

Oh, and fwiw, whenever I’ve moved countries, or doctors, and mammogram time comes around, I’ve always been re-informed that they are dense and referred on for ultrasound.

I was told when I had an ultrasound when I had a lump

My breasts are really soft (and big) and they are not dense, apparently, so at the risk of spreading disinformation I imagine dense breasts are on the firmer side, but I could be wrong.

Mine are quite firm

I had my first mamagram with bupa last month, mine aren’t dense, but I do have benign calcified deposits!

I'm not sure you've understood the article correctly.

The issue with dense breasts is "because they look whiter on the x-rays", as per the article, meaning that it's harder to spot tumours. That's why this group are recommending additional, and different tests for this group of women. Dense breasts won't affect your ability to feel for lumps.

I've set mine a quiz.

I'll let you know how they get on.

I once got told at an ultrasound that I had "ropey" breasts! Think it was similar but they might just have meant crap lol

It's dealing with a relatively uncommon difficulty for a small subset of 50+ women who have had mammograms as part of the existing 50+ routine screening, not something that should be sending 29 year olds into a panic because they haven't read it carefully - which is exactly what it says.

Tl;dr Sometimes it's not clear on a routine 50+ mammogram, so women in that smaller group will be sent for additional testing because it's been found on performing the mammogram that it's not clear.