Question

Typically, a patient with dense fibrous and glandular tissue throughout the entire breast on a baseline mammogram is

A. age 20 years or younger
B. between ages 20 to 60 years
C. above the age of 70 years
D. below the age of 45 years

Answer 1

A patient with dense fibrous and glandular tissue throughout the entire breast on a baseline mammogram is typically below the age of 45 years due to higher breast density in this age range.

Step-by-step explanation:

Typically, a patient with dense fibrous and glandular tissue throughout the entire breast on a baseline mammogram is below the age of 45 years. This is due to the fact that the breast density is generally higher in younger women, which can make the contrast on mammograms more challenging because the X-ray absorption by different types of soft tissue is very similar.

As women age, especially older than 50 years, the breast tissue often becomes fattier, offering better contrast for tumors or lumps in the breast during mammographic examination. However, it's noteworthy that bone density peaks at about 30 years, and women lose bone mass more rapidly than men, which may also affect X-ray imaging.