Many women arenât aware that a mammogram is actually just a low-energy x-ray of the breast.
When the âmammogramâ was put into use in the mid 1900âs, it was the best breast imaging tool available.
But studies performed in the 1990âs and early 2000âs have shown that mammography misses cancer in over half of the women who have âdense breast tissueâ.
Unfortunately, many doctors still refuse to share this important information with their patients.
The excuses weâve encountered for not disclosing the limitations of mammography have ranged from âI wasnât awareâ to âI donât want to scare patientsâ.
The purpose of this article isnât to engage in a philosophical debate over a patientâs right to know.
Instead, Iâd like to focus on the fact that there are better options available (which donât even include the use of ionizing radiation) for patients who have dense breasts.
These other testing options have long been available, and are far better than mammography at detecting cancer in women who have dense breasts.
Two of the most readily available testing options include breast-ultrasound and breast-MRI.
Countless studies have proven that ultrasounds and MRIs are superior to mammograms in detecting cancer in women who have dense breasts.
Cancerous tumors appear âwhiteâ on mammography images.
However, dense breast tissue also appears âwhiteâ on mammography.
Therefore, it can be impossible to see a white cancerous mass when itâs being obscured by dense, white breast tissue.
Because mammography cannot penetrate dense breast tissue, a large percentage of the breast image will appear âwhited-outâ which can obscure the detection of cancer.
This is why cancer is too often missed by mammography in women who have dense breasts.
Even more frustrating is the fact that doctors routinely report mammography examinations in women with dense breast to be ânormalâ and even go as far as saying thereâs âno evidence of cancerâ.
This isnât a small problem as nearly half of the female population has âdense breast tissueâ.
According to standard radiologic classifications, women who are deemed to have âextremely dense breastsâ have breast tissue that is âabove 75% denseâ.
That means that cancer can be hiding behind the 75% â to 100% â of the breast tissue which is dense.
So what do radiologists mean when they say a mammogram is ânormalâ or âthereâs no evidence of cancerâ on the mammograms of patients who have dense breasts?
This may come as surprise, but they donât mean âthereâs no breast cancerâ.
All that the radiologists are saying is that based on the areas of the breast that they can see â the areas not obscured by density â that there is no evidence of cancer in those areas.
So letâs take it a step further. In patients who have extremely dense breasts, that means the radiologists are only able to see the 25% or less of the actual breast tissue which isnât dense.
In other words, what the radiologists should be saying is: Â
âThe breast are extremely dense, but amongst the 0-25% of the tissue that is not dense, thereâs no evidence of cancer there. However, there could be cancer that is being obscured in the other 75-100% of the tissue which is dense.â
If radiologists made sure to inform their patients of this, you would probably not be reading this article right now, and may have had a much earlier diagnosis of breast cancer.
Breast-ultrasounds and Breast-MRIs are widely available, and can identify the cancers that would be obscured on mammograms in women who have dense breast tissue.
The so-called supplemental tests are able to âsee throughâ dense breast tissue, and can prevent a late-stage diagnosis of breast cancer in the population of women who have dense breasts.
If you, or someone you know, has dense breasts and wasnât given the option to have supplemental cancer screening with breast-ultrasound or breast-MRI, call us for a confidential consultation at (800) 215-1003.
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Founder Anthony T. DiPietro, Esq. is a compassionate and skilled trial attorney who has completely dedicated the past 23 years of his career to litigating medical malpractice and sexual abuse cases against major corporate institutions including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and other wrongdoers.
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A New Chapter in Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s 30-Year Cover-Up of Robert Hadden’s Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of OB/GYN Patients Throughout our investigation
Iâve devoted a significant portion of my career to prosecuting civil cases on behalf of survivors who have been sexually assaulted by their doctors. One
Kernicterus is a devastating, but preventable, form of brain injury that occurs in newborns when medical care providers fail to diagnose and treat jaundice (icterus)
Years of Abuse:Â 1987 – 2016
Brief:Â For nearly three decades, Robert Hadden sexually exploited and abused girls and women at Columbia University, under the guise of OB-GYN care.
Read More:Â Â Robert Hadden and Columbia University Sexual Abuse Cases
Years of Abuse:Â 1990 – 2016
Read More: Â University of Southern California & Predator George Tyndall
Years of Abuse:Â 1961 – 1996
Brief:Â 22 predator teachers and administrators, over the course of 35 years.
Years of Abuse:Â 1960 – 1982
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