I have dense breasts and wonder if a mammogram will be best for me? Or are there other tests I should be having instead?

Barbara C. Cavanaugh, MD

Academic Title: Clinical Associate Professor

Director, Breast Imaging

Board Certifications:
Radiology

Even in dense breasts, mammography will detect cancers that cannot be seen on any other imaging test. So mammograms are still very useful.

At Jefferson University Hospitals we participated in a large clinical trial that evaluated ultrasound in combination with mammography for women with dense breasts. Ultrasound found some cancers that were not visible on mammography, but unfortunately almost all of the masses detected on ultrasound turned out to be benign when they were biopsied.

We are currently studying an new technology that will help reduce the number of benign biopsies on US.