For Physicians. By Physicians.
For Physicians. By Physicians.
The FDA has updated the mammography regulations and now requires that mammography facilities notify patients about the density of their breasts. The amendments incorporate language that specifies how breast density can influence the accuracy of mammography in addition to recommending a discussion with their healthcare professional. The rule goes into effect September 10, 2024. Currently, the ACOG committee opinion states unequivocally that healthcare professionals comply with all laws, although evidence is lacking as to clinical utility and improved outcomes with additional screening and testing.
Non-Dense Breast
Breast tissue can be either dense or not dense
Dense tissue makes it harder to find breast cancer on a mammogram and also raises the risk of developing breast cancer
Your breast tissue is not dense
Talk to your healthcare provider about breast density, risks for breast cancer, and your individual situation
Dense Breast
Breast tissue can be either dense or not dense
Dense tissue makes it harder to find breast cancer on a mammogram and also raises the risk of developing breast cancer
Your breast tissue is dense
In some people with dense tissue, other imaging tests in addition to a mammogram may help find cancers
Talk to your healthcare provider about breast density, risks for breast cancer, and your individual situation
While ACOG does not recommend routine use of alternative or adjunctive tests to screening mammography in individuals with dense breasts who are asymptomatic and have no additional risk factors, ACOG recommends that clinicians comply with the new FDA rule and any state laws and federal rules that require disclosure of a patient’s breast density as recorded in a mammogram report
(A) The breasts are almost entirely fatty
(B) There are scattered areas of fibroglandular density
(C) The breasts are heterogeneously dense, which may obscure small masses
(D) The breasts are extremely dense, which lowers the sensitivity of mammography
ACOG Committee Opinion 625: Management of Women With Dense Breasts Diagnosed by Mammography
Take a post-test and get CME credits
TAKE THE POST TESTPlease log in to ObGFirst to access this page
OBG Project CME requires a modern web browser (Internet Explorer 10+, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge). Certain educational activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of their content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Apple QuickTime, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint, Windows Media Player, or Real Networks Real One Player.
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the planners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information
presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.
Jointly provided by
