If Your Breasts Are Heterogenously Dense, is It Safe to Get Breast Implants?

Question

Robert W. Kessler, MD, FACS · Answer

Heterogeneously dense breasts refers to the volume of breast tissue and how it appears on a mammogram. Young woman have denser breasts and they become less dense with age. Screening studies and routine exams are important ways of monitoring breast tissue for the development of disease.

	It is perfectly safe to have breast implants placed with heterogenously dense breasts. This does not impact your incidence of developing a disease. Although implants will change the way your mammogram needs to be done, studies show there is no delay in diagnosis of breast cancer in woman with breast implants. There are many other modalities currently available to image the breast if there are concerns. These include ultrasound and MRI to name a few.

	Have this discussion with your board certified plastic surgeon to help allay your fears. All the best and good luck.

Steve Laverson, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes it is, but your family history (if any) of breast cancer, your genetic profile (BRCA), and other factors affecting risk of cancer are always important considerations. Heterogeneously dense breasts make mammography somewhat more challenging, and perhaps less sensitive for detection of other abnormalities. Implants, depending on their size and placement, may also make mammograms more difficult. So, the answer is, get your implants, but cysts may still need aspiration, and in addition to mammography, you may need other modalities to examine the breasts.

Curtis Wong, MD · Answer

are not a contraindication to surgery. I concur with my colleagues and their prior statements. Due to the difficulties with mammography, you just have to understand that your breasts will be harder to follow and may need other methods such as MRI or sonography for screening. If you believe "live for today for tomorrow may never come" go for it. If you are more conservative in your views and perhaps do not want an excessive increase in volume, you may want to consider BRAVA as an alternative for you.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Women with dens breast tissue certainly can have implants. Placing them under the muscle in a dual plane approach is often the best to allow for adequate mammography. MRI is also the way to go if the mamography is difficult to interpret.

Todd B. Koch, MD · Answer

The best choice for you would be to have your implants placed under the muscle. With submuscular breast implants it is easier to interpet the results of a mammogram. In addition, radiologic techniques continue to advance and their are other studies available such as digital mammograms, ultrasound and MRIs to name a few which can compliment the evaluation of dense breast tissue.

Mario Diana, MD · Answer

Breast implants are safe with dense or heterogeneously dense breast tissue. 

	The breast tissue density is a consideration for mammogram images.  If mammogram findings were questionable, other means of breast imaging are available today that allow for complete imaging of the breast tissue, like MRI.

If Your Breasts Are Heterogenously Dense, is It Safe to Get Breast Implants?

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Answers (6)

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