A member asked:

When they say dense breasts, do mammogram techs mean fat?

17 doctors weighed in across 5 answers

No-opposite: Typically it means there is not as much fat. As we age and have less estrogen the breasts get fatty replaced which makes them not as dense and easier to see abnormalities on the mammogram.

Answered 3/30/2016

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Dr. Liawaty Ho answered

Specializes in Hematology and Oncology

NO, the opposite: Dense breasts have less fatty tissue and more non-fatty tissue compared to breasts that aren't dense. Dense breasts have more gland tissue and especially more supportive tissue (also called stroma) that surrounds the gland.

Answered 9/28/2016

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NO: Fatty breast are not dense. Fat is easy to see through on mammography and cancer detection is easier. Dense breast contain material, fibroglandular elements, that are hard to see through on mammography thus the mammogram is less reliable in dense breasts.

Answered 6/1/2014

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Dr. Michael Korona answered

Specializes in Radiology - Interventional

No: Fat does the opposite. Fibroglandular tissue make breasts dense.

Answered 6/1/2014

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Dr. Michael Gabor answered

Specializes in Diagnostic Radiology

No: The opposite. Breasts are composed of fibroglandular stroma and fat. It is the fibroglandular part that shows up as white, or dense, on the mammogram.

Answered 7/4/2014

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